Organic
by lady-warrioress
Summary: The Maximals and Predacons have gone through a new transformation. From metal to flesh! But not in the traditional sense... noo... DISCONTINUED FOR NOW!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Somewhere not to far from a planet similar to ours three creatures that looked like floating skulls discussed the fate of the creatures that had accidentally crash landed on the planet and ruined their project. One of them wanted to come up with an alternative to destroying them.

_They can't defile the project anymore if they're bodies can't cause anymore damage..._

_True... sentient bodies cannot damage the project..._

_Then make them sentient._

_It's hard to do with beast modes programmed into their exo-structures._

_Then make them animals._

_No good. They are too intelligent for that. They will not think like them. They need to be reformatted with bodies that fit both modes._

_Then combine the modes..._

_The suggestion is good but how? How will we be able to do it?_

_They must become human, not question about it. Not animals and not mutations._

_Not mutations. Just humanoids. Give them human forms but let them keep some of their beast qualities. Same with the protoforms orbiting the planet. Combine whatever animals they scan with their humans forms... It will make things simpler.._

_Good idea..._

* * *

Megatron woke with a splitting headache. He had somehow been knocked out of his chair and was laying sprawled on the floor of the control room. His vision swam before him and the floor below him felt unusually hard. It was rocking too. Rocking like a ship out on the high seas. It was making him sick.

"Ugh," he moaned, pushing himself to a sitting position, then resting his arm on the seat of his chair, his head down. His vision started to clear up some so he lifted his head and took a good look around the Predacon base. It didn't seem to be damaged in any way. That bit of information confused him. Why wasn't the base damaged? He was sure he'd felt a great impact hit the ship but... no damage?

"Computer, damage report," he said.

The computer ran a short scan, too short for his liking, then said in it's female voice.** "None**."

"What?!" he exclaimed.

**"No damaged has been sustained," **the lady computer told him.

"How is that possible?" he demanded.

The computer could give no explanations but that wasn't important any longer. He'd started to notice something strange about himself as he pushed himself back into his chair. A distinctive swishing sound met his ears with every movement he made and stranger still was the sound of air going in and out of his mouth and nose. This confused him. He was a robot. He didn't _need _to breathe. So why was he breathing and what was that swishing sound? The pain in his head increased and he put his hand on his forehead and groaned.

He froze. Something felt wrong. He didn't feel the usual metal on metal sensation he was used to for some reason. His hand on his head felt strange... wrong. He jerked his hand away from his face and stared at it. What he saw startled him. He stared at a hand covered in a leather glove that was black in color.

_What?!_

He looked down at himself. He saw he was wearing a dark purple trench coat with two black leather belts holding it shut, a dark purple pair of pants, a black long sleeved shirt with gold buttons, and... what was this? Something very strange was coming out of his butt! He moved sideways and the thing slapped him in the face. He realized then that he had a tail.

_What in the world?_ he stared at the tail a moment. It too was dark purple but it also had a green streak going down it, a bit like his beast form's tail. This was crazy. A _human_ body with a_ tail_?! What had happened? How'd he end up like this?

A scream tore his focus away from the weird tail. He saw a panic stricken thing clad in green, yellow, and black run into the control room. It was Waspinator. Or he_ thought _it was Waspinator, he wasn't sure, it was so strange looking.

It, like himself, looked almost human but it had strange animal qualities as well. It had two antenna sticking out of its dark green hair and two pairs of wings! Wasp wings!

"Waspinator?" Megatron said.

The wasp humanoid ran up to Megatron and grasp the Predacon leader's coat sleeves, it's large purple eyes full of panic. "What hazzz happened to Wazzpinator!?" he exclaimed, "Alzzzo what hazz happened to Megatron?"

Yup, this was Waspinator. Only Waspinator talked like that. Megatron pried the bug loose, and held him at arm's length, studying him. The former wasp robot was now a fleshy humanoid with short green hair, big purple eyes, and slightly green tinted skin. He wore a green jacket with rolled up sleeves that was open, showing off his now fleshy but muscular chest, yellow and black striped pants held up by a black leather belt, and a pair of dark green boots. The wasp would have looked like a human if not for the antenna, wings, and green tint to his skin...

Waspinator was having a panic attack, his speech impediment sounding worse with an organic voice that was almost exactly like his robot one except for a few syllables and pitches. "Wazzpinator izz zzcared!" he exclaimed, his body going slightly limp. "What hazz happened?"

"I don't know," Megatron said, letting the former wasp go. Waspinator collapsed to the floor and then just sat there, humming panickedly to himself as he rocked back and forth.

"Mega...tron," a voice from behind his chair moaned in agony.

The Predacon leader turned from the whimpering wasp and peaked around his chair. There he spotted Scorponok. The scorpion second in command also seemed to have encountered the same form changing phenomena. Scorponok wore mostly gray clothing, gray shirt, gray windbreaker like jacket, gray-ish purple pants, and gray boots, even his hair was a grayish color.

"Scorponok?" Megatron said uncertainly, not sure if he was really addressing his second in command.

The scorpion looked up at Megatron. At least his skin wasn't gray, it was a Caucasian color. His yellow eyes were hidden under a yellow pair of shades. Though he looked almost completely human, unlike Waspinator, he had a gray scorpion tail, that at the moment was limply dragging on the floor as Scorponok got unsteadily to his feet. His glasses fell off as he stared in shock at the Predacon leader. "What happened to _you?" _he glanced past Megatron at Waspinator. "What happened to _him_?"

"I don't know," Megatron replied, forcing his voice to keep steady as he looked at his purple gloved hands. The last thing his soldiers needed was for their leader to lose it. He had to stay calm, for his sanitise sake. "But it seems we've gone through some kind of a change, yess."

Scoroponk clacked his teeth together nervously. "What are we going to do?" he asked. "What if the Maximals find out and attack us? We can't do anything like this!"

Megatron put a hand on his second in command's shoulder. "No need to panic," he said, though he felt like panicking himself. Scorponok had a point. If the Maximals attacked them in this state they didn't stand a chance. He could just imagine them coming in and blowing him to pieces or die laughing at the sight of a purple clad human with a T-Rex tail.

"Maybe not all of us has had this happen," he said, hopefully. If some of them hadn't then they'd still be able to defend themselves.

Just then Terrorsaur came running, or half running, half flying, into the room. "MEGATRON!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

The other three Predacons turned to face him. Terrorsaur had also gone through the weird change. He was no longer a pterosaur-robot transformer. Now he was a humanoid pterosaur with spiky red hair, red eyes, and pale skin. He wore a red and gray star ship trooper like shirt, black pants, and red boots. He also had pterosaur wings and a tail.

When he spotted Megatron he ran toward the Predacon leader and grabbed him by the front of his purple trench coat. "What have you _done _to me?!" Terrorsaur demanded, his red eyes full of panic. "I'm going to kill you!" Then he noticed Megatron's tanned face, magenta colored eyes and black hair and let the Predacon leader go. "What have you done to _yourself_?"

"I haven't done anything, no!" Megatron said, annoyed at the former pterosaur. "And as you can see, you aren't the only one who's gone through this strange transformation."

Terrorsaur stared at Waspinator, Scorponok, and Megatron in turn. "What happened?" he asked, his voice betraying his panic.

"I don't know," Megatron replied. "but it seems everyone of us in the base has gone through it, yessss."

Terrorsaur let that sink in then ventured to ask. "What about the Maximals?"

Megatron shook his head. "I have no idea," he said, then walked over to the computer. "I think we'd better see for ourselves..."

* * *

The sound of an incoming message brought him back to consciousness. As he opened his eyes, he became aware of random pains in his body. Memories of being shot came back to him and he came fully awake with a start... and found himself hanging upside down from the ceiling. He hung there a moment, trying to figure out how he'd ended up that way then looked up to see his legs were stuck to a giant blue and white spider's web.

_Those spiders!_ he thought, baring his teeth and snarling. The incoming message sound kept on beeping.

He started prying himself loose, staring at his legs as he slowly pulled them free from the web. He'd almost gotten them loose when he noticed something strange. His legs didn't look quite right. The colors didn't look right. _What did those spiders __**do**__ to me?_

He angrily yanked himself loose and fell onto the floor. As he scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain in his body, he caught his reflection in the CR-Chamber window. It didn't look right either. He moved toward it. His stared in shock at his own reflection.

He'd become a humanoid being with long golden hair braided and tide back with a black ribbon, blue tinted skin, red organic eyes, pointy ears. He was wearing a brown colored robe with tan stripes, that was partway open, showing off a muscular blue chest, a chain with a dog tag on it was hanging around his neck, a gold belt tied around the waist, brown striped pants like the robe, and white, gold and silver boots, that looked similar to the armor on his lower legs from his robotic body. The weirdest thing, besides the blue skin, was the brown and tan raptor tail, wagging agitatedly behind him. _What in the inferno is __**this**__? _he thought, his mouth hanging open.

He looked at his hands, they were also blue, but had long claw like fingernails. He made a fist and the nails dug deeply into his skin. He felt pain and unclasped his fists. Blood seeped from the puncture wounds.

He still had no idea what this was but... that incoming message signal was still beeping!

Cursing under his breath, he staggered over to the control panel and spoke into the speaker. "This is Dinobot," he growled into the speaker.

"Ahh Dinobot," a suave sounding voice spoke back at him. "It's so good to hear from you. How have you been?"

"What do you want, Megatron?" the raptor demanded, clenching his teeth as he watched his blood stain the control board a crimson red color.

"I was just calling in to see if any of you Maximals have had some kind of... structural problems lately, yesss."

"What do you mean by that?" Dinobot asked, fascinated by the red stains coming from his own hands. He'd never seen blood before.

The computer screen suddenly turned on. Dinobot stared at a tan skinned man with black hair and magenta colored eyes staring back at him. The man smiled. "So you have," he said, almost amused by the fact, though something in his eyes seemed to say he was disappointed about it. What had he been expecting to see?

Dinobot glared back at him. "What happened to _you_?" he demanded.

"About the same thing that happened to you, it seems," Megatron replied, his voice somewhat strained.

"What do you know about this?" Dinobot demanded.

Megatron shook his head. "Always quick to jump to conclusions," he said. "As for your question, nothing." he smirked at Dinobot. "But it seems the Predacons aren't the _only_ ones who went through this strange transformation, noo."

"What do you mean?"

"You Maximals seem to have gone through it too."

"You forget, I'm a Predacon."

"Oh I had forgotten," Megatron said, shrugging. "So the _true _Maximals haven't gone through this?"

Dinobot glanced around the control room. He spotted Rhinox tangled in the other web. He stared at the rhino a moment and noticed the Maximal seemed to look different. He looked back at Megatron and shook his head. "Negative."

"So the Maximals _have _gone through this as well?"

Dinobot looked back at Rhinox. "So it would seem..."

"Ah," Megatron said, sounding amused. "And the plot does thicken. " he folded his arms. "Is Optimus there? I would like to speak with him."

"He is not here," Dinobot said, rubbing his bloody hands on his pants. "But those spiders are."

"Ahh yes, the spiders," Megatron said, still sounding amused. "If you happen to see them, kindly see if they have gone through this change as well."

Dinobot frowned at Megatron. "If I see them I'm going to make them pay," he growled. "No one shoots me in the face and gets away with it!"

Megatron chuckled at the former Predacon's words. "Always quick to violence," he commented. "I would advice against it."

"You do not command me, Megatron," Dinobot growled, his tail wagging with aggravation. "I am no longer under your command."

Megatron shook his head. "Fine," he said. "but I still must speak to Primal."

"I already told you he is not here!" Dinobot growled impatiently. "If you want to contact him try his commlink!" then he cut the connection, leaned against the computer console, and sighed. So _he_ hadn't been the _only _one who'd gone through this weird change. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved or angry.

He punched the console. He didn't have time to be worrying about it. He looked over at Rhinox, still in the other web. He'd have to cut the rhino down. He picked up his sword off the floor and walked over to the net. He cut Rhinox down and watched the former rhino fall heavily to the floor. He leaned over Rhinox and didn't even recognize him. The Maximal now wore a green lab coat and pants, had green hair, and worse a pair of smudged glasses. He would have been totally human except he had rhino ears and a tail. Dinobot stared at him for a few minutes, fascinated by the change then remembered what else he was going to do and moved away from the man.

Gripping his sword tightly in his hand, he headed down the hall, the thought of making two spiders pay the only thing on his mind.

* * *

Blackarachnia woke up laying on top of someone with long silver-blue hair. She instantly scrambled off the person then sat stating at it. Whatever this thing was it had long silver blue hair, wore a red and brown outfit and had ant antenna sticking out of its head. Wait! _Ant_ antenna?

She leaned over and flipped the figure onto its back. Now she found herself staring into a slightly tanned face. The thing's mouth was partway open and she saw slightly pointy teeth in it's mouth. Because of the teeth and the antenna she quickly figured out who it was. Inferno.

_What happened to him? _she wondered. _Why does he look like that?_

She got up and moved around the body of the fire ant. Something weird was happening here and she didn't want any part of it. She stepped out of the stasis pod chamber and into the hall. There she found Tarantulas. He was lying on his back on the floor. One look and she discovered he'd also gone through the weird transformation. He'd become a slightly pale skinned man in a green lab coat, magenta shirt, light purple pants, and green boots. His hair was also magenta but she didn't know what colors his eyes were because they were closed. She noticed strange green streamer things on his arms and reached down to touch one. It was limp but twitched spasmodically at her touch. She stepped back. Humanoid but still a spider... this didn't make any sense to her.

If this had happened to him, what about herself? Her hand unconsciously went for her chest but before it got there she heard someone coming down the hall. She froze in position, listening intently. The footsteps were getting closer. She moved away from Tarantulas' body and headed back into the pod room, where she almost tripped over Inferno. She hadn't gotten more then a few steps when she heard a familiar rage filled growl behind her.

She turned quickly around and was just in time to have a hand clamp onto her throat and shove her roughly against the wall. She let out a choking scream and opened her eyes. Something with long golden hair tied back in a braid and blue skin with red eyes glared back at her, its blue long finger nailed hand holding her a few inches off the floor. _Dinobot?_

* * *

So the female spider _had_ gone through the change as well. The black widow was now a young woman with dark tanned skin with big black eyes and hair that trailed down her back and wavered as if it was alive. Her clothes were similar in design to the metal armor she wore in robot mode. A black body suit, a golden bikini type shirt with long sleeves, and gold boots with purple tips. Her arms had orange streamer like things that wavered as if they were alive. She was beautiful but the former raptor took no time noticing this fact. He was too angry at her and the other spider for shooting him.

"You should have left when you had the chance, spider," he growled at her, his now organic sounding voice just as fierce as his robotic one. He held his sword before her eyes.

"Wait!" she choked through his hold, trying to grasp his arm with her hands. "You don't want to do this!"

That blue face of flesh scowled. His body language said just the opposite. "Why would I _not_ want to do this?" he demanded.

She couldn't think up an answer that he would believe.

Dinobot was about to run her through when he heard a sound behind him. Keeping a firm hold on her throat, he turned his head toward the sound. A figure with blue-silver hair and in a red with brown body suit was slowly pushing itself off the ground. The figure opened it's eyes, revealing red orbs with catlike pupils and stared at Dinobot.

"Ah!" it exclaimed, grabbing up a large flame thrower off the floor and pointing it at him. "What are you?" the figure demanded. "Answer!"

The former raptor noticed the ant antennas sticking out of the thing's head. Inferno.

Dinobot was in such a bad mood he didn't care that a huge flamethrower was in his face. He angrily knocked it out of the fire ant's hand and kicked him to the floor. "I do not have time for you, insect," the raptor growled at Inferno who slumped against the wall, holding his stomach.

Inferno recognized that voice and looked up at that scowling blue face. "You!" he exclaimed, recognizing the raptor. "You're that traitor to the colony!"

Dinobot growled at the fire ant and dropped Blackarachnia. She sat on the floor, holding her neck and gasping.

"Traitor or not," Dinobot growled, pointing his sword at Inferno's chest. "I still have the upper hand and-" he swiveled around to point his sword at Blackarachnia when she tried to get up. " am in a very bad mood so do not even think of trying anything."

The former black widow put up her hands unchallengingly. "Hey," she said. "I'm not going to try anything." she told him. "I promise."

He growled at her. "Somehow I do not believe that," he said, angrily then turned back to Inferno who was once again reaching for his flame thrower. "And if you even think about using that I will run you through and this time it _will _kill you!"

By then Inferno had finally noticed that his body had gone through a change. He glared up at Dinobot, knowing in this body he was in now could indeed be killed if he was run through.

Luckily Blackarachnia prevented that from happening. "Dinobot, if you're like this and I'm like this and Inferno and Tarantulas are like this, does this mean the others are..?"

Dinobot looked over his shoulder at her. "Yes," he replied. "At least Megatron is."

* * *

Optimus Primal woke to find something strange had happened to his body. It didn't feel quite right. He pushed himself into a sitting position and looked at his hands. They were covered in a gray pair of gloves that disappeared under a pair of darker gray sleeves. _What is this?_

He looked down at himself. He was wearing a dark gray leather trench coat a blue sleeveless shirt (wife beater I think it's called) and a pair of white pants. He touched his face and felt flesh covering his skull. He also felt hair. _What in the world?_

He looked over at Rattrap and Airazor who lay on the ground beside him. They also seemed different. Since the bird girl was closer to him he leaned over her. She had become a young woman with short brown hair and cream colored skin. She wore a black sleeveless belly shirt, an orange pair of shorts held up by a dark gray leather belt, black boots and black gloves that went up to the elbows. She looked almost human except for the pair of black falcon wings sprouting out of her back and the bird tail sticking out of her shorts.

_What is this? She's turned into a human with__** wings**__?_

He looked over at Rattrap. He too had been a victim to the strange transformation. He was now a short man in his mid-twenties with short gray hair, slightly darker skin than Airazor's, and wore a gray star ship crew type coat, dark orange pants and knee high gray boots. He also had a rat tail and ears.

_This is ridiculous!_ Optimus thought. _**Humans **__with__** animal **__parts_?!

He reached up and touched his ears. They felt strange. They didn't feel human. He checked other parts of himself but nothing else seemed to be animal like. Aside from his ears he was the most human looking person of the three. _That's just Prime..._

He put out his hand and shook Airazor. "Airazor wake up, we have a problem," he said.

The bird girl opened her eyes and looked at Primal. Her dark green eyes grew wide when she saw his face. "What happened to _you_?" she gasped.

"I don't know," Optimus replied. "But it seems to have affected both of us," he pointed at Rattrap. "And Rattrap."

She looked at the rat then back at Optimus. "How did this happen?" she asked.

"I don't know," he replied, getting shakily to his feet. "But I think we'd better head back to the base before the Predacons find out what happened."

Airazor nodded and looked at Rattrap who hadn't stirred. "What about him?" she asked, her voice betraying worry.

Optimus leaned over and tried to shake the shorter man awake. "Rattrap, wake up," he said.

Rattrap didn't stir. The two now humanoid robots looked at each other. "I think he's hurt," Airazor said. "What if this transformation did something else to him?"

Optimus didn't want to think about that. He reached down and picked up the smaller humanoid. "We'd better get back to the base," he said.

Airazor nodded and followed him down the cliff toward the base.

_Okay. I got this idea while working on a project. I am currently drawing the Beast Warriors as humans with some of their beast qualities and this fanfic idea came to mind. I'm sure a few people have made them human already but I decided to add my own personal touch to it. If you want to get a better idea on how they look you'll have to look up their pictures on my Deviantart name. I have six up so far. This might seem like a childish idea written by girl who's seen too many animes but I think the idea is pretty interesting. :D_

_Incidentally, this is taking place from part two of "Other Voices" just before Optimus and the others returned to the Maximal base and Blackarachnia poked around in Tarantulas' mind. I didn't want you to be confused about the timeline. Okay? Enjoy._

_One more thing: I like hearing from my readers so if you happen to read the whole thing please leave a review. I don't mind what kind just as long as you don't flame. I'll even take criticism if you be nice about it. Thanks in advance._


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Tarantulas felt horrible. His body hurt all over, as if he'd been chosen as Megatron's punching bag, plus he felt queasy and uncomfortable lying on a cold, hard floor. He groaned in agony and opened his eyes, they focused on three faces. One with long silver/blue hair, one with long wispy black hair, and one with blue skin and gold hair. He had no idea who they were or why they were staring at him like that.

"So he's still alive," the one with the waving black hair said, looking at the silver/blue haired creature. "It seems you didn't kill him after all."

Kill him? Why would that thing have killed him? He sat up, still staring at the creatures. "What are you?" he asked, locking eyes with the one with black hair.

The black haired being replied. "I'm Blackarachnia."

"You are _not_!" he exclaimed, pointing a finger at her. "Now who are you!?" then he noticed his own hand. It was covered in some kind of pale substance. He tried to rub it off then discovered it was on both hands and wasn't going anywhere. His optics grew wide at the sight of the stubborn substance. "What?"

The blue skinned thing with the gold hair chuckled at his confusion. "It is not a trick, spider," he told Tarantulas. He pointed toward the wall. "See for yourself."

Tarantulas turned his head and saw, in the wall's shiny surface, a flesh covered face staring at him. It had magenta colored hair and yellow eyes, he looked down at his body and saw the green and magenta colored clothes and... the streamer spider arms. "What is this?" he asked, feeling a slight panic arising inside him. He forced it down. He couldn't let himself lose it, not with the others watching, especially not Blackaarchnia.

The blue skinned thing shrugged. "We do not know," he replied and Tarantulas now recognized the voice. "Dinobot?" he asked, staring.

"So you finally realized who you are talking to," Dinobot said, holding up his sword. "Now why do we not all head into the control room so I can inform your _leader_ that you have been a victim of this madness as well."

"Oh no!" Tarantulas shouted, holding up his gun. "I'm not going_ anywhere _with _you!"_

"Oh yes, you are!" Dinobot roared, knocking the gun out of the mad scientist's hand. It hit the floor and Dinobot kicked it so the spider wouldn't try to grab for it. The weapon skittered away across the hard metal floor and came to a stop at the end of the hall, far out of his reach.

Tarantulas watched it go then was forced to look back at Dinobot when the raptor-human grabbed him by the throat. "Care to try that again, spider?" he snarled into the shorter man's face. The other man shook his head. "Good." Dinobot angrily threw him into Inferno and Blackarachnia, bowling them over. "Now," he said to all three. "Get moving!"

The three Preds scrambled down the hall with Dinobot angrily stalking behind them, ready to whack the first one to challenge him again.

* * *

Optimus, Airazor, and Rattrap returned to the Maixmal base to find the shields down and the elevator lowered to the ground. The two looked at each other. Primal did not like what it meant. "What do you make of this?" Optimus asked.

Airazor shrugged. She didn't know what to think. Rhinox and Dinobot wouldn't just leave the base vunerable like this. Something must have happened. "Should we go in and find out?" she wanted to know.

Optimus set Rattrap on the ground. "I'll go," he said. "If anything happens to me, take Rattrap and get out of here."

Airazor nodded, kneeling down beside the rat humanoid.

Optimus cautiously walked toward the elevator and hopped on. He pressed the UP button and rode it into the base, crossing his arms and titling his head thoughtfully. He'd left Dinobot and Rhinox to defend the base. Both were smart enough not to leave the elevator down like this unless... unless something happened to them. Primal shook his head. No, he didn't even want to think about that.

The elevator stopped in the control room and he cautiously stepped out. He saw nothing out of place. Nothing disturbed. Everything looked normal... until he noticed the figure lying on the floor. He stared at it a moment then ran over to it, kneeling down and turning it over. He didn't know who this person might be so he just shook them, saying. "Wake up!"

The person groaned and Optimus recognized Rhinox's voice. The Maximal opened his eyes and stared up an the Maximal leader through smudged, square-shaped glasses. "What are you?" he asked, his voice a mixture of confusion and awe.

"I'm Optimus," Primal replied, helping Rhinox sit up.

Rhinox groaned and held his head in his hands. "Oh," he said through clenched teeth, his eyes still on his leader. "What happened to you?"

"The same thing that happened to you," Optimus replied, tapping his friend's forehead.

Rhinox was confused and his dark skinned face showed it. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Optimus did his best to explain. When he was done Rhinox, with the help of Optimus, stood up, "So _that's_ what happened," he said, leaning against the computer console. His eyes held a slight fear but also a bit of wonder at the phenomena. "Then that must have been _Dinobot _who had been leaning over me earlier."

Optimus made a curious face. "What do you mean?"

Rhinox explained then asked. "What has happened to us?"

"I don't know." Optimus replied, folding his arms, his expression thoughtful. "But it seems to have affected everyone. I just hope the Predacons don't find out about this."

"Too late," said a familiar raspy voice behind them.

The two quickly turned around. They spotted the humanized Dinobot standing in the hallway entrance with three grumpy but colorful characters before him. "Dinobot!" Optimus exclaimed. He eyed the three shorter people standing in front of the taller man with blue skin and the raptor tail. A woman with long wispy black hair, a man with short magenta hair in a lab coat, and a blue-silver haired young man with a fang sticking out of his mouth. Somehow they reminded him of certain people. When the silver haired man muttered. "You will _burnn_ for this." he knew right away who they were. The spiders and the fire ant Predacons.

Dinobot growled and pushed the three Predacons forward. Tarantulas eyed Optimus and Rhinox up and down. "So it seems all the Maximals have become freaks as well, tehehhehee," he chuckled.

"_You_ are the freak, spider!" Dinobot growled, looking ready to impale someone. Truth was; he _wanted_ to impale someone, it would make him feel better. "This is your doing is it not?" He did not look the least bit happy about what he'd turned into, even though he looked just fine. He wasn't ugly and he didn't have any other weird characteristics besides the skin color and the tail.

"No!" Tarantulas shouted, turning to glare at the humanoid raptor. "Why would I do something like this and let it happen to_ myself_?"

"I do not know," Dinobot said, stepping dangerously close to the spider. "Maybe you thought it would be fun!?"

Optimus stepped between the two. "Dinobot, stand down!" he ordered, in no mood at the moment to play referee. "I don't think this was _his_ doing."

Dinobot really wanted an answer and a reason to murder someone. "Then _whose _was it?" he demanded, putting his hands on his hips.

"We don't know," Primal replied. "And we probably won't ever know. Just drop it for now."

Dinobot glared at Primal then put his sword away. "Fine," he said. "But what are we going to do about our ...guests?"

Optimus looked at the three human Predacons. "Right now I don't know," he said, shrugging like he didn't care. "I'm more worried about Rattrap."

"Vermin?" Dinobot said, looking confused. "What is wrong with the vermin now?"

"Just a minute." Primal stepped back into the elevator and rode down it. While he was gone Rhinox and Dinobot kept an eye on the Predacons. Inferno kept on muttering how this was all the Maximal's fault and that when he got his gun back they would burn. Dinobot was two seconds from gagging the annoying ant when Optimus came back up with Rattrap and Airazor. Rattrap was in Primal's arms because he still hadn't regained consciousness.

The other two Maximals eyed their comrades. "So it spreads," Dinobot commented.

Airazor stared at him a moment then helped Optimus set Rattrap on the table in the center of the room. The rat humanoid was still unconciouse. "What happened to him?" Rhinox asked, stepping toward the table. "Besides the obvious?"

"We have no idea," Airazor replied. Her green eyes were huge. "Nothing seems wrong but he won't wake up."

Rhinox leaned over the rat to examine him. He touched Rattraps silver-gray head and felt something there. A lump. "I think I know," he said. "Rattrap hit his head on something. That's why he won't wake up."

"On what?" Airazor asked.

Rhinox took off his glasses and shrugged. "Beats me," he said. "A large rock maybe. You did have to climb over rocks to get here, right?"

Optimus and Airazor nodded in confirmation, yes they had. "But he didn't trip," Airazor said. "Maybe when we got knocked out by that blast he hit his head then."

Rhinox nodded. "That could be it," he agreed.

Just then Rattrap began to stir. Everyone, even the Predacons leaned closer.

Rattrap opened his eyes and stared at the dark face with the green hair staring back at him. "Yikes!" he exclaimed, sitting bolt upright. "What are you? Where am I?" his face was full of horror.

"Calm down, Rattrap," Optimus said, putting his hand on the rat's shoulder. "It's us. You're in the Maximal base."

Rattrap stared at Optimus with huge red eyes. He seemed to recognize the voice but he still looked scared to death. "Fearless leader?" he said cautiously. "Is that you?"

Optimus nodded. "Yes."

Rattrap looked around at everyone, taking in their new looks. When he spotted Dinobot he stared at him but recognized him easily. "Chopper-face?" he said, his voice beginning to calm down. "What happened to you? Did you fall into a pile of blue paint?"

Dinobot glared at him. "I cannot help how I look, vermin!" he shot back.

"Ya got that right," Rattrap cracked.

Dinobot stepped forward as if he was about to beat the vermin to a pulp. "How much of this must I endure?" he demanded. "I do not need your two cents on the subject."

"Heh," Rattrap said, shrugging. He looked away from the raptor and spotted the three Predacons. "Look whose come home from the circus..." he cocked his head, recognizing them all easily by the way they stood. Tarantulas with a slightly hunched posture, Blackarachnia in a slightly seductive pose and Inferno in a straight as a ruler military stance. "Nice outfit, Webs," he said to Blackarachnia. "Skin tight really becomes you."

"Why you!" the black widow exclaimed, taking a step forward but was held back by Optimus. "Nobody says that kind of thing to_ me _and gets away with it!"

"Why not?" Rattrap asked, enjoying baiting her. "With your personality-"

"Knock it off, Rattrap," Optimus ordered, looking over at the smirking rat humanoid. Rattrap had gotten over his fright pretty easily. "Your plays on words isn't helping the situation any."

Rattrap folded his arms. "Eh, I was only tryin' to have a little fun," he pouted.

"This is not the kind of thing to take lightly," Dinobot snarled at Rattrap. The raptor humanoid clenched a fist, his fingernails digging into the blue flesh of his hand. "We are stuck in bodies that are not our own and you are joking around like it is no big deal."

"Hey, _I know_ it's a big deal, Dinobrain, but there's nothing I can do about it," Rattrap shot back. He pushed himself off the table and looked everyone over once more. "Just how did we end up like this anyway?"

"We have no idea," Optimus told him. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "But, since we are, we will have to be very careful. I don't know if the rest of the Predacons have under gone this strange transformation and I sure don't want to find out the hard way."

"They have," Dinobot spoke up.

Optumus looked at the raptor. "What? How do you know"

"Megatron tried to contact you a half hour before you got arrived," he explained. "When I spoke with him he looked... different."

"How different?"

"Like us," he replied, gesturing at everyone to illustrate what he meant.. "Or similar. It seems he has become human... but with a few additions thanks to the beast form he chose."

"So he's got a tail?" Rattrap asked, holding up his own. He eyed it with disgust, clearly unhappy with the addition. "And why do I have this anyway? If they were gonna make me human couldn't they have done away with the tail?"

Dinobot's own tail wagged nervously. "It seems it is just something we will have to get used to," he commented.

"I agree," Airazor replied, glancing back at her wings. "But what are we going to do about _them_?" she pointed at the three Predacons that were being closely watched by Rhinox and one of his chain guns. The three Predacons looked very annoyed or very bored, Optimus couldn't tell. Inferno glared at him when he met his eyes.

"If I can contact Megatron maybe we can work something out," Optimus replied, eyeing the Predacons. "Until then, lock them in the holding cells."

"With pleasure," Dinobot said as he and Rhinox went to lead them out of the room.

When the five were gone Rattrap turned to Optimus and asked. "What do you mean "work something out"? If ya speak to Megatron I think you should just take him out on the spot."

"With what?" Optimus asked. Optimus no longer had a gun. "And if he _is_ like us, maybe we can discuss a truce or something until we figure out what happened."

"Or until we get our real bodies back," Airazor added.

Rattrap shook his head. "I doubt that is possible..."

* * *

No, a truce was the farthest thing from Megatron's mind. If anything, he was going to keep this war going, organic bodies or not. He wasn't going to let such a small matter keep him from becoming the victor in this war. Besides, even though these bodies were organic, they still could endure the temperature caused by the lava pits below the _Darkside_ at least somewhat. Megatron wasn't even sweating, trench coat or no trench coat. What he didn't know was that Scorponok had added a climate control program into the system and that was why the lava wasn't bothering him at the moment.

He'd sent out Waspinator to check out the Maximal base but the wasp was so freaked out about his new form that he flew off somewhere before anyone could stop him.

Megatron tried to call him back by yelling at the top of his lungs but, since he wasn't used to such a thing, hurt his vocal cords and leaned against the wall, hacking. Scorponok stared at him, worriedly. "Are you okay?" he asked from his spot at the one computer. He was busy trying to figure out what had happened by looking over old security camera feed from the last few hours. So far he'd turned up nothing.

"I'm fine," Megs said when he could find his voice. He had a hand on his throat, yelling had made it sore. "I just forgot that I was turned into a organic humanoid for a moment, yess." he looked at his second in command. "Try to contact the Maximal base again. Maybe Primal is back now."

Scorponok returned to the computer and tried to get in contact with the other base. The frequency had been scrambled. Accidentally or purposely he didn't know.

"I can't reach them," he replied, looking back at the taller man. "I think they scrambled their frequency or it was knocked out somehow."

Megatron waved him off as he undid the belt of his trench coat, he needed more room to move his long legs and he was feeling hot. "It doesn't mater, no," he said, reaching up onto the armory shelf to grab a blaster. "We'll just drop by for a visit then, yesss."

* * *

Cheetor and Tigatron finally found their way back to the base after they discovered they'd gone through the strange change as well. Cheetor had become a young man about seventeen with short blond hair, yellow eyes and slightly tanned skin with freckles. His outfit looked a bit like a blue and yellow Japanese high school uniform, but covered in cheetah spots, on his feet was a pair of blue boots.

Tigatron looked even stranger. His skin was almost as pale as Terrorsaur's, he had white hair and red eyes. His outfit was a white and black tiger striped Japanese robe and pants and a mint green belt around his waist. Both he and Cheetor also had ears and tails like their beast modes.

Cheetor was freaked out about his change and asked Optimus. "What is this, Big Bot? What has happened to us?"

"I don't know," he told the younger former 'bot, trying to keep him calm. Cheetor looked like he was about to have a nervous break down. "We haven't been able to figure it out yet."

Unlike Cheetor, Tigatron wasn't panicking at all. He'd been content with his beast mode before and this body didn't seem that much different, though now he couldn't transform into robot mode. He looked himself over with great interest. "This seems interesting," he said looking at his pale hands. Short claw like fingernails grew out of them.

"What do you make of this?" Optimus asked him, curious about what the Siberian tiger humanoid thought about the whole thing.

Tigatron dropped his hand and shook his head. "I am just as baffled as you are but I have a theory," he replied.

"What is it?"

Before he could answer Rhinox and Dinobot came back into the control room. Cheetor stared at them the second they came in, his eyes bugged out and his mouth hanging open.

Dinobot didn't like being stared at. "What _are_ you staring at, feline?" he demanded, glaring at the younger humanoid and whipping his tail agitatedly.

"Why are you blue?" he asked, carefully.

"Because I am sad," Dinobot said with loads of sarcasm. He snorted and admitted, because he didn't want Cheetor to think he had 'mood ring' skin. "My skin happened to wind up this color for some reason." he glanced over at Tigatron who was also staring. "What?"

"Nothing," Tigatron replied.

"Then _why _are you staring at me?" he demanded, his voice becoming a growl.

"I _wasn't," _the tiger humanoid replied, quickly. When Dinobot got like this it was best to keep calm so he'd get the idea and calm down himself. "I wasn't even_ looking _at you." he stepped around the raptor. "Airazor is standing behind you. I was staring at_ her."_

Dinobot turned around and saw Airazor standing behind him. She met his eyes a moment then turned her attention to Tigatron. "Let's go," she said, taking his hand and walking him out of the control room.

"Rhinox," Optimus said when the two were gone. "Try to get in contact with the Predacon base."

Rhinox nodded, shoved his glasses back up his nose, a habit he was already starting to get into, and sat down on the computer. He typed in a few codes but all he got was static. He looked back at Optimus. "I can't reach them."

"Hmmm, do you think they scrambled the signal?"

"I don't know," Rhinox replied, frowning at the screen. "I'll keep trying."

* * *

"This is all _your_ fault," Blackarachnia growled, glaring accusingly over at Inferno who was in the cell next to hers.

"How is it _my_ fault, spider?" Inferno demanded, folding his arms and glaring back at her. "If you spiders hadn't of been trying to betray the Royalty this never would have happened!"

"Hey, don't blame us, you trigger happy lunatic!" she shot back, angrily shoving a stray lock of black hair out of her eyes. "I'm not the one who decided to ruin the whole project!"

"I did not _ruin anything_!" he roared, getting up and leaning close to the bars but not too close, he didn't want to get burnt. "You spiders should stop betraying the Royalty!"

"All we were doing was trying to leave the planet!" she shouted, also getting up and leaning close to the bars. "We would have succeeded too if you hadn't of come in and decided to use Tarantulas as a human torch!"

"Will you two stop arguing!?" Tarantulas yelled from his own cell. "I'm trying to concentrate."

The two bug humans looked over at him. "Concentrate on what?" Blackarachnia asked, her voice betraying curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"Oh nothing, tehehehe," the spider humanoid chuckled to himself.

Blackarachnia stared at Tarantulas' back as he worked on something she couldn't see. She was about to ask him what he was doing again when she saw sparks flying and then the bars around her flicker and go out. She stared at the vanishing bars for a second then got up. "What did you do?" she asked.

"I hacked into the bars power source," he replied, getting up and crossing the room to retrieve his gun off the control console. The Maximals had been nice enough to leave the three Pedacons' weapons there, thinking they wouldn't be able to get out and retrieve them. He chuckled again and picked up his gun, aiming it at her. She ducked out of its range. He laughed and followed her every movement with it.

"Cut that out!" she exclaimed, ducking.

"Sorry," he said, tossing her her gun. She caught it easily. "I think we'd better get out of here."

"We had better head back to the colony," Inferno said, retrieving his flame thrower. He looked at the two spider humans but didn't aim his gun at them this time.

"I think not," Tarantulas said, not wanting to deal with Megatron at the moment. "I have to head back to my lair to make sure nothing happened to it."

"But-" Inferno began.

"Shut up, insect," Blackarachnia ordered. "If you are so desperate to get back to your beloved Megatron then go by yourself."

Inferno wanted to argue. His body shook and he seemed to have a seizure without making any noise. Blackarachnia's words were getting to him more than he realized. He hated when she made assumptions like that. He was a soldier, not a drone. He lifted his gun and pointed it at them. "Fine! I will return to the colony myself!" he turned to go, stomping loudly out of the room and into the hall.

Tarantulas and Blackarachnia looked at each other. If the Maximals saw Inferno wasn't locked up anymore they'd know all three Predacons got out. They ran after him and grabbed him by the arms, pulling him back into the room against his will.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, struggling against their hold. "Let me go!"

"Don't be stupid!" Blackarachnia hissed into his ear. "You can't go tromping down the hall like that! The Maximals will see you!"

"I can deal with them!" he exclaimed, holding up his flame thrower. "If I run into them they shall burn!"

The twp spiders looked at each other and shook their heads. They'd let him take his chances. If the Maximals were busy with him they wouldn't realize the spiders had gotten loose until they incapacitated the berserk fire ant.

"Fine," they said, letting him go.

The fire ant took off like he was on his way to a fire, laughing madly for some reason and brightening the ceiling with flames from his hell gun. "You will burn, Maximals!"

The two spiders looked at each other, smirked, and got themselves out of there. He would be just fine.

* * *

"We are going to have to send someone back out there," Optimus said a little bit later. He'd been thinking about certain important issues when he remembered the stasis pods. Rhinox looked over at the Maximal leader. "What is it?" he asked.

Optimus told him.

"Yes, I agree," he said, nodding. "We'll have to send out someone to see about the stasis pods." he looked at the screen. "The scanners indicate that a few have fallen nearby."

"Define nearby," Optimus said.

"About ten miles."

Optimus sighed. "None of us will be able to get there fast enough in these forms." he turned toward the hallway. "I'll have to find Airazor. Since she's the only one able to fly now, she'll have to go to them herself."

"We have another issue," Rhinox said, still staring at the computer.

"What is that?" Optimus asked, looking back at the rhino humanoid.

"Megatron and Scorponok are outside," he replied.

Optimus shook his head, running his hands through his dark hair nervously. Just what he didn't need! _Not now! _Why of all times did the Predacons have to come by for a visit?! "Prime..."

* * *

Megatron and Scorponok had to take a hover-sled to get to the Maximal base since their now organic forms had limitations. Their bodies tired out easily and didn't cover ground as fast as their robotic bodies had. They now stood outside the base, eyeing it carefully. For now it seemed quite, the autoguns were offline.

"What are we going to do, Megatron?" Scorponok asked, looking up at the taller man. His teeth started clacking together. Since his claws had become normal hands his nervous habit had moved to his mouth. "I thought we weren't going to negotiate with them."

"We aren't, my dear second in command, no," Megatron assured him. "and stop clanking your teeth together, it's annoying."

Scorponok blinked his yellow eyes and played around with his sunglasses which were in his hands. "Sorry." He forced his his teeth to stop. "Then why are we here?" he asked.

Megatron didn't look at him. "You'll see..."

That instant the elevator came down with Optimus and Dinobot on it. Megatron eyed the gray trench coated man and the blue skinned raptor humanoid carefully. Neither seemed armed but with Dinobot you could never tell. That raptor always had his sword hidden where you couldn't see it. When the elevator touched the rocky ground the two Maximals stepped off and walked toward the two Predacons. When they were only a few feet away they stopped. Both sides eyed each other with wariness and suspicion.

"So," Optimus said, folding his arms. "Since you came to us, you start. What do you want?"

"I came to inform you that this little transformation isn't going to change anything," Megatron told him. "Organic or not I am not about to put this on hold."

Dinobot growled. "So you came all the way here just to tell us that you wish to continue the war?"

Megatron eyed his former second in command carefully. Dinobot hadn't come out any better than he had in this transformation but at least Megs had a natural skin tone. Dinobot looked like he'd been held under water too long. "That is right, my traitorous former friend," he said. "I do not wish to end the war or talk of a truce at this time." he spread his arms and lowered his head slightly, face to the ground but eyes still on Primal. "But if anything _else_ happens to change then I will be willing to talk about it, yesssss." his purple and green tail swished on its own as he chuckled softly. "Of course if you wish to surrender-"

Dinbot started laughing. The canyon echoed with his contemptuous chuckles. The others said nothing, they just listened to the bitter laughter until Dinobot got it out of his system. When his laughter died down Optimus said, as if there hadn't been any interruptions, "Why do you still want to continue this senseless war? We are both at a disadvantage now that we're organic."

"True," Megatron said, putting his hands in his coat pockets. "If we shot each other now the chances of us surviving would be low. But it doesn't matter, no." he turned his back to them. "It's not like us being friends will make things different."

"But, Megatron-" Optimus began.

Megatron turned back to stab a finger in Optimus' face. The T-Rex humanoid's dark face was solid as stone, his dark magenta eyes cold. "If anything changes _then_ I will think about it," he said again. "Not before." he dropped his hand and looked at Scorponok. The shorter man followed him back to the hover sled.

Optimus watched them go then looked at Dinobot who was seething. "It seems we still have more problems than we need." Primal commented.

Dinobot calmed down enough to say. "So it seems..." He looked at the sky for a few seconds then looked back at Optimus. "I'm going to... check on something..."

Optimus stared at him and before he could ask what, Dinobot took off across the canyon. Optimus watched him go, a little worried about his strange behavior. _What's he up to?_

* * *

He couldn't breathe. All he saw was darkness, a smothering darkness. He had to get out. He kicked at something above him, a lid opened with a whining screech. Clean, cool, night air wavered into the small space, as he stared up at the star filled sky.

_Where am I?_ he thought, sitting up. He stared at his hands, they were covered in soft white gloves. Something about the way they looked felt wrong._**What **__am I?_

"So yer alive afta all," a voice with a southern drawl commented, startling him.

He turned his head toward the voice. A young man in a brown cowboy hat with aqua green hair, blood red eyes, and tanned skin leaned against a strange craft. He wore a gold colored buckskin jacket with frills and pockets, a green turtle neck shirt, a brown belt, aqua colored blue jean pants, and brown/gold boots. The strangest thing about him was that he had a tail. A tail shaped exactly like a cobra's body and head. It hissed at the other protoform.

"What are you?" he asked, staring at the cowboy and his strange tail.

The cowboy shrugged. "Yur guess is as good as mine, eagle dog." he pushed himself away from the craft, eyeing the other up and down. "Why don't ya climb on outta that there space ship so I can get a better look at ya."

"Eagle dog" climbed slowly out of the stasis pod. He looked at himself a moment, noticing the wolf tail and the pair of eagle wings he sported. He wore a long sleeved white tunic, white gloves and white pants with white boots. Around his waist he wore a white belt with a banner cloth hanging from it. A weird sunburst symbol was etched on the banner. He brushed a lock of his long black hair off his shoulder and felt the wolf ears sticking out of his head. He froze, getting the feeling that something was wrong about the way he looked but unable to figure out what.

The cowboy with the cobra for a tail smirked at him. "So ya have got yerself some kinda mutation don't cha?" he said.

The wolf eagle humanoid said nothing but he noticed a strange glean in his companion's eye.

"Why don't we have a little fun?" the cobra humanoid said as his tail once again hissed at the wolf eagle.

"What kind of fun?" eagle boy asked, suspicious and a little nervous about the look the other protoform was giving him.

"How about _this_?" the cowboy said before he jumped at the wolf eagle. "Yeeehaw!"

_A/N_

_This chapter sure it long. I hope I did okay. I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you thought, okay?_

_THE PREDACON BASE HAS CLIMATE CONTROL PROGRAMED INTO THE SYSTEM! THAT'S WHY EVERYONE CAN STILL SPEND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME IN IT!_


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Dinobot had noticed the moon when he'd glanced into the sky back at the Maximal base and that was why he'd run off.

There was only one now so that could only mean... Well he wasn't about to tell Optimus what it meant, not now. Only he would know for now, he and Megatron. He knew Megatron wasn't dumb. He'd figure it out just as easily and when he did... the raptor humanoid didn't even want to think about what he would do._ So I must act first, _he thought as he ran steadily over the landscape, paying no attention to where his feet landed._ I must do something before he makes his move. Then... then he will only be able to act after I give him the key... _He lost his balance on some loose stones and almost pitched to the ground, but regained his footing just in time. Even so the almost spill made him slow down and now he just let himself move at a slightly slower speed. He needed to slow down anyway, he was getting winded just by the action.

Slowing down a little wouldn't hurt him. It wasn't like his trump card was going anywhere anytime soon.

* * *

Inferno wound up encountering Rattrap in the hall. The short humanoid was taken by surprise and got shot in the chest before he knew what was happening. He flew across the room and smashed into the wall and slid to the floor. Before he could get up or figure out what had happened, the insane Predacon stood over him, laughing madly. "Time to burn, freak!" he laughed, shoving his flame thrower right into the rat's face.

The sight of the gun snapped the Maximal out of his daze. "I don't think so," Rattrap said, looking around the giant hell gun and up at the Predacon towering cockily over him.

Suddenly his leg shot up and Inferno went down, wincing with a pain he'd never felt before. Rattrap stood up, his arm around his stomach and stood over the fire ant. "By now ya should know not to drop your guard," he said, his breath coming in and out rapidly from the effort of getting back up.

Inferno glared up at him. "You will pay for that, you cheap shotter!" he shouted.

"Cheap shotter yourself, blender-butt," Rattrap said, through clenched teeth. "And how did ya get out anyway?"

"I don't have to tell _you_, vermin," Inferno replied through the pain in his lower body, smiling manically. He started to push himself up, his right hand reaching for his flamethrower. It was too far out of reach.

"Ya after this?" Rattrap asked, picking it up. When Inferno reach for it he threw it across the room. "Go on and get it!"

Hissing in anger the fire ant humanoid painfully got to his feet and chased after his gun. As soon as he was standing, Rattrap kicked him in the rear and he went stumbling forward, landing face flat on the floor just inches from his flamethrower. He pushed himself up, grabbed his gun and turned to fire it. Rattrap had already drawn his own gun and fired. Inferno had to duck to avoid the firepower, lest he get injured. The blaster fire tore into the metal wall above his head.

"Not so tough now are ya?" the vermin said, still shooting. "I guess even your organic body has its limits."

Inferno dodged the first few blasts then angrily started firing back, not liking being taunted. The giant fireballs exploded like fireworks against the metal walls. Rattrap ducked to avoid the blasts then crouched on the floor and leapt, tackling the now human ant. His head smacked into Inferno's stomach and he heard the ant go "OOOF!" as the air was knocked out of him.

The two hit the floor, hard. Inferno smacked his head against the floor and Rattrap's knees scraped the metal floor, the friction tearing small holes in the cloth of his pants at the knees. He ground his teeth at the pain as the two bodies slid across the floor then stopped when they ran into a wall. He sat up, panting and looked down at the fire ant. Inferno only looked half conscious as he lay on the floor with Rattrap sitting on top of him. His silver-blue hair fanned around his head like a halo, even though Inferno was no angel. For a second the rat almost thought he looked like a girl. _He sure is pretty for a maniac..._

Inferno groaned in agony and forced himself to stand up. His face smacked into Rattrap's as he did so.

"Hey!" the rat exclaimed, his nose starting to bleed. He put up a hand and blood came off of it. _Slag... what in Primus is __**this?!**_

Inferno opened his eyes and stared at a too close for comfort image breathing bad cheesy breath into his face. He gagged and moved his head back, glaring at the small Maximal that was sitting on him. "Get off me," he shouted.

"Ah no," Rattrap said, not about to go move. "I'm not goin' to let ya go anywhere until I figure out how ya got out of your cell."

"That is something you'll just have to figure out for yourself!" the pyromaniac said, suddenly moving like Rattrap had never seen before.

Rattrap was suddenly thrown across the room as Inferno's now organic body launched itself upward like the Maximal weighed nothing. With unnatural speed he'd gotten up off the floor and kicked Rattrap in the stomach. When he hit the wall this time he stayed there for about ten seconds before he slid to the floor. His eyes stayed on Inferno who was floating a few feet away from him by use of almost invisible wings.

_Holy Matrix, when did he grow __**those?!**_

Inferno didn't seem to be wondering that, though, nor did he seem to care. He just seemed to be enjoying his new advantage as he hovered in the air for a second before landing on the floor and retrieving his gun. He laughed madly and pointed his gun at Rattrap. Before he could fire it, though, he heard footsteps coming down the hall. He turned away from Rattrap and started firing down the hall at whoever was coming in his direction. Whoever it was hollered something then started shooting back.

Inferno dodged the fire power, shot at them one last time, then sprinted in the opposite direction, his new wings settling and almost vanishing against his back.

About a minute later Rhinox, holding one of his chain guns ran into the area of the hall where Rattrap and Inferno had had it out. He was just about to chase the ant even further but then noticed Rattrap slumped against the wall.

Rattrap's hair and clothing were singed and both of his knees were scraped and bloody. He looked like he'd just been beaten up, which he had. The sight of him made the other Maximal forget about chasing the crazy Predacon. Concern for his friend took over his thoughts instead. "Rattrap!" Rhinox exclaimed, running over to his friend and kneeling down in front of him. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Rattrap said, forcing himself to sit up. He wiped his nose, more blood came off onto his hand.

Rhinox spotted the blood. "What happened?"

"I had a little run in with a psychotic," the other man replied, groaning as he felt the pain in his chest again. He put a hand over his chest and winced. "I think he cracked a rib..."

"We'd better get you to the CR Chamber," Rhinox said helping him up.

"Have ya slipped a gear?" Rattrap asked, staring at his friend in horror. "The CR won't work on our new bodies. If ya try it you'll fry me."

"Oh." Rhinox pushed his glasses back up his nose. "I forgot. But what are we going to do then?"

"Right now all I care about if finding out how ol' blender butt got out of his cell," the rat replied.

Rhinox looked back down the hall. "I was wondering about that..." he helped Rattrap walk down the hall, back toward the control room. "We'll deal with that later. Right now you're more important..." their voices faded down the hall.

When they were gone a thin dark figure stepped out of the shadows. Blackarachnia. She'd ditched Tarantulas to watch what happened to Inferno for her own amusement. She'd witnessed the whole fight and now put her hand to her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm... Interesting." she said, before taking off down the same hall Inferno had gone.

* * *

Waspinator had finally calmed down enough to land. He found a nice cliff side to touch down on and, when he landed, instantly sank to his knees, panting. Flying had taken more out of him than he realized. He wasn't used to being out of breath and didn't think he'd ever get used to it. In fact, he didn't _want_ to get used to it. _Wazzpinator hatezz human body,_ he thought, changing position so he was now sitting comfortably, his long legs hanging over the side of the cliff. He sighed to himself and looked into the sky._ Why univerzzze hate Wazzpinator? Why forzzze him to become a fleshy-bo-_

He froze.

Something about the sky had looked different. He blinked once and looked again. He was used to looking into the sky and seeing the two martian moons that orbited the planet. Now... Now there was only one, the larger of the two.

"Only one moon now?" he said out loud, staring at the bright disk. He stared at the moon for the longest time, trying to figure out why it bothered him so much to see it by itself. _Zzzzomething about it izzzz familiar... _He pondered that for a moment. Then it hit him and he wondered why he hadn't figured it out sooner. He knew. He knew! He knew exactly what it meant and the knowledge made him feel superior for some reason. "Hahahahaa! Wazzpinator knowzzz!" he exclaimed in triumph, getting to his feet.

His now organic wings buzzed to life and he was flying once again, his destination; the place he had just come from, the Darkside_. Wazzpinator zzzmarter than Megatron thinkzzz he izzz yezzzz..._

* * *

Megatron and Scorponok had just gotten back to the Predacon base when the computer's sensors went off. "**Alert! Scanners detecting two stasis pods**!"

"Stasis pods," Megatron said, surprised and elated by the news. "So it seems some new arrivals have finally decided to show up, yess." He looked at Scorponok. "Let's go say hello, shall we?"

Scorponok didn't answer. He just nodded. He wanted to see the stasis pods too. Maybe this weird change hadn't affected them. He fired up the engines on the hoverpad and the two Predacons roared off toward the location.

* * *

Inferno might have been an organic human fire ant transformer with antenna and wings but he still thought like the insect his stasis pod had scanned all those months ago for his beast mode. Though Scorponok had fixed some of the pyromaniac's thought waves so he didn't exactly think he was an ant anymore, he still thought of everything as worker, soldier, drone, or Queen. Megatron was the Queen. He would always be the Queen and Inferno would always be the in-productive soldier.

Right now that now organic inproductive soldier was finally jumping out of the Maximal base after he'd taken out poor Airazor and Tigatron who happened to be the only ones in the control room, with one thing on his mind. Finding and protecting the Queen. He'd left the two Maximals injured but alive when they'd tried to stop him by grabbing his arms and trying to force him back against the wall and had broken the elevator controls so he could just jump out, instead of just pushing the buttons to get them to work.

"I must return to the colony," he said to himself, looking around and noticing the single moon. "Huh?" he stared at the moon for a second, could make nothing of it, and started over the landscape, totally forgetting about the wings he'd used earlier. "I must make sure the Royalty is safe..."

Blackarachnia, who was stalking him, jumped down the elevator shaft just in time to see him take off. She was just about to go after him when someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her into the shadows. Startled, she fought against the hold until a voice hissed into her ear.

"Why are you stalking the insect, witch?" demanded the voice of Tarantulas.

She was annoyed at being ambushed and replied. "It's none of your business, legs."

"It _is_ my business," he said to her.

She found that hard to believe. Why did had always think her business was his as well. He might be the reason she was even a Predacon but that didn't mean he had to know everything about her. "Why?" she asked.

He smirked, though he knew she couldn't see it. "Let's just say I've taken an interest in your business."

She elbowed him in the stomach and broke away when she felt his grip loosen. "My business is _my_ business," she retorted, pulling out her gun. She aimed it right at his face "And I don't like you stalking me. How did you know I was after him anyway?"

He smiled in a strange way. "Let's just say I have a certain... link to your thoughts." was his not so direct reply.

She glared at him then turned to go. "Well let me just tell you this, legs; If you think that's going to scare me you're sadly mistaken." she held up her hand to show off the new organic look it had. Her slightly pale skin looked ghostly in the moonlight. "Turning into a humanoid freak scares me more than _you_ do." then she turned away and took off before he could say anything more.

Tarantulas watched her go then chuckled to himself. He stared at his fleshy hands without any emotion. "True, becoming human can scare you," he admitted to himself. It had scared him the first time he'd seen it now... he wasn't sure how he felt.. "But once over the trauma it can also have its advantages, tehehehehee!"

* * *

The wolf-eagle protoform ducked to avoid the cowboy's venomous cobra tail. He was trying his best to defend himself without hurting the other protoform, mostly out of confusion of why the other wanted to fight in the first place, while trying to talk some sense into his partner's aqua colored head. The other protoform seemed to have the thickest skull in the universe. Talking wasn't doing much good but he kept it up anyway.

"We don't have to do this!" he exclaimed, pushing Cobra-tail back against the one stasis pod. "I'm sure there's another way to settle this."

"Oh it'll be settled when I prove that I can kick your keister to kingdom come!" the cowboy exclaimed, raising his arm to begin a punch. "Now fight like a man!"

Wolf-Eagle dodged the blow and hid behind his stasis pod. "What did I ever do to you?" he asked, peeking out over the top. His yellow eyes held a hint of panic. "I only just met you!"

"Nothin'," Cobra-tail replied to the question, jumping onto the lid. "But that doesn't mean ya won't try anythin'!"

That tail lashed out again and Wolf-Eagle yelled in fear and let go of the lid. The tail hit the metal where his hands had been and caught. The cowboy swore in anger. As he tried to get it free, the other man quickly ran around the side and jumped into the air. His wings caught a gust of air and he hovered there a moment, staring down at the cowboy.

"No fair!" the cowboy exclaimed, shaking a fist at the flying protoform. "You can't use you big pillow stuffers! You get your butt down here and fight like a man!"

"I'm not coming down until you stop trying to kill me," he shot back, landing on the tree by the one stasis pod and roosting there like a giant eagle, his wings spread out like a canopy. He looked like a gargoyle. "Otherwise I'll just stay up here until you cool off."

"Get down here!" the cowboy screamed again, freeing his tail and running toward the tree, his fists swinging at the air. "Get down here before I chop ya down!"

The wolf eagle sighed. This guy was hopeless. "Fine," he said. "If you insist." then he jumped down from the tree and landed on top of the cowboy, pinning him to the ground.

"Get off me, you great eagle dog!" he shouted in the other protoform's face.

His comrade wasn't about to comply, not while the cowboy was trying to kill him. "Not until you stop this senseless fight," he shot back.

The cowboy was about to say something when suddenly a giant fireball came flying out of nowhere and exploded only inches from them. The impact sent the two flying. They both landed sprawled on the ground, rocks and dirt falling around them like raindrops. "What in tarnation?" the cowboy exclaimed, slowly getting up, his eyes fixed on something.

His companion looked in the same direction. They both spotted the same thing. A young man with red eyes and long blue-silver hair and wearing a brown and red sleeveless bodysuit with a silverbelt around the waist and holding a flame thrower, stood only a few feet away from them. His insane smile made him look like something out of a nightmare.

"Who is that?" the eagle dog asked, staring at the new-comer. He noticed if the man hadn't of been smiling madly he could have been mistaken for a girl. "And why did he shoot at us?"

"I don't know," the cowboy said, slowly getting to his feet.

The other did also. "We have done nothing to him," he said, still eyeing the man with the silver hair. "Surely there's been a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding or not," his companion said, his eyes full of violence. _"Nobody _is gonna get away with trying to make a barbecue outta _me_!" he stood up straight and ran toward the man in red. "YEEHAW!"

He got close enough to the pyro to get a quick strike at him from his tail. The cobra's venomous fangs dug into the red and brown leather elbow length glove on the man in red's right arm. He didn't even flinch as he grabbed the tail and calmly yanked it off of him. The cowboy's eyes grew wide when he saw that the fangs hadn't even broken the skin, the thick leather of his gloves had protected him. The man looked at his arm then at the man whose tail he was holding. "Fool," the lunatic said, looking right into the cowboy's blood red eyes. "Pain is my friend! Allow me to introduce you too it!" then he started whipping the cowboy around by his tail.

"Whoa!" Cobra-tail exclaimed, flying through the air and hitting the ground. "Hold it right there! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! HELP ME!!"

The wolf eagle watched as the man in red smacked the cowboy off the ground and laughed madly while he did so. The sight of someone up beating another for the fun of it made him angry. "That's dirty!" he exclaimed, running forward. "Hey, leave him alone!"

Inferno looked up to see the strange man in white with the wolf ears and eagle wings. He'd seen enough weird humanoids by now that another didn't bother him in the least. He came to his own conclusion. "A hero," he said mildly. He lifted his gun. "My favorite!" and fired.

* * *

Dinobot found the Predacon base empty except for Terrorsaur who was too busy lamenting about his new freaky look to even notice the raptor humanoid sneak quietly past his open door. Dinobot wondered why Terrorsaur was so upset about it. Was it because he no longer had a pretty face? Oh well, it didn't matter. There were more important things to think about. Terrorsaur had always been a bit vain anyway.

He entered the room where the Golden Dics were being kept but stopped in his tracks when he saw someone was already there. Someone in a green jacket and black and yellow striped pants. He started thinking of a way to distract the person long enough to get the dics when suddenly it started speaking..

"Megatron thinkzzz Wazzzpinator too zztupid to figure out where we are," the person in the strange clothes muttered to itself. "But won't Megatron be zzzurprizzed when he find Wazzpinator onto him."

So this person was Waspinator. Even with the change, the slightly incompetent wasp still talked in third person. Dinobot smirked. _This should be easy._

He quietly snuck up behind the wasp humanoid, being as quiet as possible. Waspinator didn't even seem to notice him until he was right behind him. Waspinator then sucked in a great gasp of air and turned around, drawing his gun and pointing it right into Dinobot's chest. Dinobot froze. When did Waspinator carry a gun around?

Waspinator smirked. "Lizard-bot think he can get the drop on Wazzpinator doezz he?" he said, clicking off the safety. "Wazzpinator not think zzzo. Wazzpinator heard Lizard-bot coming."

Well that was different. Dinobot never expected Waspinator to feel anyone sneaking up behind him. Maybe the change had done something useful to him after all. Dinobot tried to stay cool, not wanting the green skinned Predacon to shoot him for any sudden moves.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, hoping to distract him long enough to disarm him.

"What Lizard-bot think Wazzpinator doing here?" Waspinator demanded not lowering his gun but in no hurry to fire it either.

"I think you are after the same thing I am, old comrade," Dinobot replied. He nodded his head toward the discs. "Now what could you possibly want with them?"

"About the zzzame thing Lizard-bot wantzz," Waspinator replied.

Dinobot frowned. "And that would be?"

Waspinator's smirk became smug. "Power."

He fired.

* * *

Terrorsaur heard the gun go off and got out of his pity party instantly, drawing his blaster and dashing out of his room. He froze there, looking both ways and listening. He thought he heard the sound of chaos coming from somewhere down the hall to his left and, forgetting that he'd become human, took off down the hall, not sure what was going on but not about to miss it.

_A/N_

_Heh I added my own touch to the whole thing. BWAHAHAHAA! I'll try to keep it in character as much as possible but I couldn't help adding a few things... for example..._

_I found out that male fire ants have wings and can fly. lol. So yeah, Inferno does have wings, they're just so transparent that they can't be seen very easily. Of course I know Inferno's ant form came from a female fire ant body structure but the Vok figured since he's an ant-bot that's male they would give him wings like the male fire ants of the species._

_and..._

_Heheh Waspinator might still talk like a moron but I always considered him smarter than people gave him credit for. I slightly altered the stealing of the golden discs but not by much as you'll find out later. Please tolerate me. I'm trying my best. I just don't want to end up copying someone else's work, though I don't think I need to worry about that, noooo..._

_PLEASE DO NOT GET TECHNICAL MINDED ON ME! I'M STILL WORKING ON THE STORY. I'M TRYING MY BEST TO MAKE IT DIFFERENT. BUT IT'S JUST A STORY! _


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks For the reviews guys.**

**Koi Lungfish, why do you have to be so technical? It's only the third chapter and things are different. I'm just keeping a few things the same. Give me more time. Besides, I didn't write the story for you and they'll probably move out later.**

CHAPTER 4

Inferno was enjoying himself, beating up on the two confused protoforms. Once he lost interest in the cowboy he went after the wolf-eagle who'd' found a spear in his stasis pod. He struck a defensive pose as Inferno came at him. He wasn't sure if he wanted to use it but if he wound up doing so it was in self defense so he would have an excuse.

The fire ant laughed at him and raised him gun. The wolf eagle ducked out of the line of fire and dived at the man in red, the spear sticking out in front of him. Their bodies came in contact and the protoform heard a squishing sound and a groan of pain. He opened his eyes, which he had closed when he'd dived at the other man, and saw the spear head had gone into the other man's chest. He gasped in shock at what he had done and stood up. The man in red's eyes were full of shock, like he couldn't believe he'd been wounded. He fell to his knees and yanked the spear out, blood immediately gushing out of the wound.

"I..." the protoform began, staring in horror at what he had done. "I'm..."

Inferno put his arm around the bloody wound and used his other hand to grab the sleeve of the man in white. He tried to say something but nothing came out. His words were muted by the unexpected pain.

"I'm sorry!" the man in white exclaimed, staring down at Inferno in horror. "I didn't mean for this to happen! You were going to shoot me and I couldn't just let you and-"

"You will _burn_," Inferno managed through clenched teeth, pressing his arm closer to his chest. He glared at the other man with hate filled red eyes. Then he started coughing.

"Are you all right?" the wolf eagle exclaimed, kneeling down to get a better look at what he had done.

Inferno ignored him

"Whoa," the cowboy said, getting off the ground. His one eye was black and his nose was bleeding but he still stared at the other two. "Now that's what I call kickin' someone's keister."

"I did not do it on _purpose_!" the other man exclaimed, glaring up at the cowboy. "It was an accident."

"Yeah an accident that just saved our lives," the cowboy replied leaning against the stasis pod for support. He folded his arms and raised an eyebrow, his face showing annoyance. "Why are you apologizin' to him for? If you haven't of offed him he woulda just done the same to us."

"Be it as it may he didn't and now..." the rest of his sentence was cut off when he heard the sound of a machine. The wolf eagle's ears perked up and he looked toward the sound. Some kind of vehicle was coming toward them.

"I don't like the looks a' this," the cowboy said, looking nervously at the wolf eagle. "That could be this guys partners."

Panic began rising in the protoform's chest. "What should I do?" the wolf eagle asked nervously. He didn't want to be accused of doing it on purpose.

"I dunno," the cowboy said, shaking his head. "but I ain't gonna get blamed for you whackin' the firebug." then he took off.

"Wait!" the wolf eagle called after him. He didn't want to left alone to deal with this by himself. He didn't know what to say. "What about-"

Too late, the cowboy was gone. "Oh no," he moaned as the vehicle got closer then stopped. He stared at the two people who jumped off of it. A man with black hair in a purple trench coat with a purple tail and a man in gray with a gray scorpion tail. They walked over to the protoform and stopped in front of him.

He looked up at them guiltily. "I-I am sorry," he said, looking close to tears. "I didn't mean it!"

The man in purple looked confused for a moment then spotted the man in red leaning against the wolf eagle. It didn't take long to figure out who it was, even with the human form. "Inferno?" he asked.

The fire ant looked slowly over his shoulder. When he spotted the man he smiled slightly. "Royalty!" he exclaimed. Then he fell backward and onto his back, unconscious.

Megatron saw the bloody wound on the soldier's chest. "Inferno?!" he exclaimed. He looked back at Scorponok who stood a short distance behind him, watching. "Hurry, get him back to the base!" he ordered.

Scorponok frowned but did what he was told, walking over to Inferno and grabbing him by the arms. He drug the man toward the hovercraft. Megatron watched him lift the man onto the vehicle then drive off. When they were out of sight he looked back at the protoform. The man in white looked up at him nervously.

"I didn't mean it!" the man exclaimed, fearfully. "He attacked me and I was just defending myself. I didn't mean to hurt him! Honest!"

Megatron frowned and folded his arms. "What's your name?" he asked.

"S-Silverbolt," the man replied, saying the first name that came to mind.

"And just what were you doing when Inferno came after you, Silverbolt?" Megatron demanded. _You'd better have a good excuse for what you did._

Silverbolt stuttered something unintelligible.

"What?"

"I-I- I was in the middle of a fight with another person," he replied.

"You were in a fight when you got into a fight?" Megatron said. "You're quite the trouble maker, yess..."

"NO!" Silverbolt exclaimed, shaking his head in denial. "The other person attacked me first."

"Well then that changes everything," Megatron looked over at the two stasis pods. "Where is this other person by the way?"

"He ran off when he saw you coming," the wolf eagle replied.

"Which way?"

He pointed. Megatron looked in the direction thoughtfully then said. "I think we should go find your friend, yessss."

* * *

Terrorsaur crashed into the room where the discs were being held just in time to see someone with blue skin and a tan and brown tail go running off with one. He stared after the man a moment, trying to figure out who it was, then noticed Waspinator was trying to fly off with the other.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, watching his wing mate head toward the other door, the disc held tightly in both hands. "Where are you going with that?"

Waspinator didn't pay any attention to friend's shouts as he flew out the door. Terrorsaur ran after Waspinator as he shot at the other fleeing figure. He thought he heard the blue figure grunt in pain but he was too distracted by Waspinator to pay too much attention.

"Waspinator!" he shouted, stumbling out of the room. "Come back!"

He chased the wasp around the base until he was out of breath. He leaned against the wall, panting, his lungs feeling like they would burst. He looked up to see Waspinator disappear around the corner. "Waspy!" he called but he was too far away.

* * *

Dinobot had only managed to get one of golden discs. Waspinator had grabbed the other one as soon as his fire power had blown up the security system that powered the force field that protected the discs. Waspinator had actually been aiming for Dinobot but the raptor had avoided his firepower so much that he'd hit the power instead. Not that it mattered, it just made things easier. Waspinator had managed to score a few hits and Dinobot's bleeding leg was the outcome.

Dinobot limped quickly out of the base and across the area of the volcano not surrounded by lava, the disc in both hands. It was heavier than he remembered. He coughed when he breathed in the hot air, putting up his one arm to breath through the brown material of his sleeve, and got out of there as quickly as possible.

When he was a safe enough distance away from the base and the hot volcanic air, he rested against a stone and examined his leg. It didn't look like it was bleeding anymore but it didn't look like it was going to stay that way. He undid the belt holding his robe closed and tied the cloth around wound.

Then he quickly examined other parts of his body, making sure nothing else had been wounded. He found a burn mark on the back of his left shoulder. Touching it made it hurt worse and he withdrew his hand, hissing in agony. Waspinator's gun didn't leave marks like this so it must have been Terrorsaur's gun that had done this. He growled in anger. This new body wounded easily. Way too easily. He didn't like it in the least. In fact he hated it!

He heard the sound of a vehicle approaching and ducked behind the rock. A hover pad shot by and Dinobot saw two figures riding on it. One in gray and one in brown and red. The one in brown and red was leaning heavily against the one in gray who was piloting. They didn't even notice him as they flew by. When they were out of sight he quickly scrambled out from behind the rock and grabbed up the disc. He limped quickly away from the volcano and the _Darkside_.

* * *

Scorponok landed the hover pad just inside of the Predacon base. The new climate control program he'd installed was working quite nicely so he was very relieved to get inside the base and out of the suffocating volcanic air around the base. Once he landed, he knelt down, draped Inferno's arm across his shoulders, and helped him off the vehicle and down the hall. "Why do you always do those things?" he asked the humanoid ant, more annoyed than angry, and just a tad concerned. "Why can't you control that blood lust of yours?"

Inferno lifted his head partway, and probed past the sunglasses until he met the other man's yellow eyes. "I-," he said before he started coughing.

"Don't talk," Scorponok ordered. "It'll waste your strength."

"I... I am not used to this," Inferno coughed, lowering his eyes. He didn't feel very good. "I am used to..."

"I know," the scorpion humanoid answered, knowing exactly what the pyro was trying to say.. "So am I but, since we are, you can't go around picking fights with everything you see. I know you enjoy doing that sort of thing but you can't do it anymore."

"I know," Inferno growled, before coughing once more.

Scorponok watched the fire ant. Inferno was coughing up something red that spattered everywhere. Blood, he knew that from doing some research on organic creatures. Though the scorpion hated Inferno's guts for sucking up to Megatron the way he did, the sight of him now, caused the Predacon second in command to worry. Coughing up blood was not a good sign. It just meant something serious was wrong. _Oh slag..._

Just then Terrorsaur came running toward them. When Scorponok saw the look on his face, he knew something had happened. "What is it?" he asked when the red haired man came to a stop in front of them.

"The Golden discs," he gasped, leaning over and panting heavily. He was out of breath from trying to find the other thief with no luck. "They were stolen."

The other two Predacons looked at each other then back at the pterosaur. "What do you mean?" Scorponok asked. "Stolen? By who?"

Terrorsaur didn't want to tattle on Waspinator. His mind figured he could contact Waspinator later and ask him what in the Pit he was doing. Instead of ratting on the wasp he said. "Dinobot came here." he lifted his head to lock eyes with the other two. "He took the discs."

"Dinobot?" Scorponok exclaimed, surprised. "Why would he come here and steal them?"

"I don't know," Terrorsaur replied. He noticed Inferno and the blood still dripping from his wound. "What happened to _him_?"

"It's not important," Scorponok replied. "We have to get him to the CR-"

"Whoa!" Terrorsaur exclaimed, putting up his hands. "You _can't_ put him in the CR!"

"Why not?"

Terrorsaur looked at Scorponok like he was stupid. "Organic bodies," he answered, as if it was obvious. "If you put Inferno into the CR it'll kill him! It's not _built _for _organics_."

Scorponok stopped. He hadn't thought of that. "Then _what _are we going to do?" he asked.

Terrorsaur shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. "We'll just have to wrap something around it."

"Like what?"

The red head eyed the other man for a moment before commenting, "Your coat looks like it would work nicely."

* * *

The cowboy hadn't gotten very far because of his injuries. He'd gotten about as far as the rock formation a short distance away then stopped, leaned against it, panting and wrapped an arm around his stomach. Something told him one of his ribs had broken. He ground his teeth at the pain. _This is all that tin horn's fault! _he thought, his mind going back to the wraith in red and brown. _I hope that wound bird-eagle boy gave him kills him. That'll teach him to use me as a fly swatter!_

He frowned as a new thought came to mind. The bird eagle might just blame him for what happened_. I wouldn't put it past him, _he thought angrily, his fist clenching and unclenching. _Well he ain't gonna dump it on me, no sir. _he forced himself to stand, and found himself face to face with a man with a dark face and black hair.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, taking a step back. "Tar nation!"

"There you are!" the wofl eagle exclaimed, stepping out from behind the man. He looked relieved. "We have been looking all over for you!"

"Why'd you bring him to me?" the cowboy demanded angrily, glaring at the eagle wolf. "I ain't gonna take the blame for you offin' that lunatic!"

"I wasn't going to blame you!" Silverbolt protested. "This guy already knows I did it."

"Then why isn't he dealing with you?" the cowboy demanded. "If I had found out that someone had offed one of my partners that's the first thing I would do!"

"It was an _accident_!" Silverbolt protested.

"Does he know that?"

"Yes," the man in purple replied.

The cowboy stared at Megatron. "And you don't care?" he asked, his eyes full of shock at the calm tone in the taller man's suave voice.

The man shrugged. "Inferno is stronger than he looks," Megatron relied. "He won't die that easily. Now." and he locked eyes with the cowboy. "Now that I have found you why don't you tell me your name."

"Call me Quickstrike," the man replied, still weary of the Predacon. He eyed the man up and down. "Ya got yourself some fancy duds there."

Megatron frowned. It took him a moment to figure out what the man was talking about. He meant Megatron's clothes. "They were fancier when they were metal, yess," he replied.

Quickstrike raised an eyebrow. "Say wa?"

"Nevermind," Megatron said, dismissively. He looked around. "By the way, why don't we find somewhere else to talk?"

"What's wrong with here?" the cowboy asked, his red eyes suspicious. He didn't want to go anywhere with this guy. He might take them somewhere and kill them, or worse.

Megatron frowned at him. "I prefer talking in a more... sterile environment, yesss."

* * *

Rattrap and Rhinox entered the control room to find it a mess. Everything was now out of place, including the table in the center of the room and four of the six metal chairs in front of the computer console. As they stared at the chaos in confusion they spotted two figures laying sprawled against the computer console. "Tigatron! Airazor!" Rhinox exclaimed. He gently seated Rattrap down on one of the two unbroken chairs and went over to help the other two Maximals.

As he knelt down in front of them he saw they both had burns on their bodies, clothes, and faces. It looked like they'd encountered the flames of hell.

"Tigatron! Airazor!" he exclaimed, worry evident in his voice. _Oh Primus! I hope they're not dead!_

Airazor groaned and opened her eyes. She stared into Rhinox face. "Rhinox?" she said.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his red eyes full of concern.

"I think so," she replied, sitting up and wincing. She reached up to grasp her cheek but, when she touched it, she felt a firey burn there, winced, and removed her hand. "What happened?"

"I don't know," he replied. "When Rattrap and I came in you both looked like this."

"Both?" she then noticed Tigatron sprawled beside her. "Tigatron!" she exclaimed. She leaned over him and started shaking him. "Tigatron! Wake up!"

He opened his eyes and stared at her. "Airazor?"

She smiled at him. "You're alive," she said, unexpected tears coming to her eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, then he noticed the burns on her face. "How'd you get those?" he exclaimed, his own concern for the female Maximal showing in his usually calm voice.

"I don't know-" then it came to her. "Inferno!" she exclaimed. "He came in here and we tried to stop him."

Rhinox looked back at Rattrap. "So he came in here," he said. He looked back at them. "Why'd he come here?"

"He wanted out," Tigatron replied, sitting up straight and rubbing a bump on his head. He pointed toward the elevator which was down. "We wouldn't let him and he went berserk."

Rhinox frowned. "He must have wanted to return to the Predacon base," he said.

Airazor nodded as she remembered "Yes," she agreed. "That's what he said."

"Well then you shoulda let him," Rattrap said, from where he was sitting. "It woulda been easier than tryin' to stop him."

"Shut up, Rattrap," Rhinox ordered. This was not the time for the smaller man's insults. The man looked the three over. "I guess I'd better treat your wounds before they get worse."

* * *

"How is he?" Megatron asked when he, Silverbolt and Quickstrike stepped into the Predacon base. Megatron had been smart enough to find an old pair of ancient walkie talkie type machines in the pile of junk in his room and had gotten in contact with the base. Terrorsaur had taken a hoverpad to pick them up. Scorponok would have gone but Terrorsaur knew nothing about organic wounds and the sight of blood seemed to make the red head squeamish.

Scorponok shook his head. "I can't think of a single thing to do," he replied, turning from the table where the soldier was laying, breating irregularly. "I've never had to treat a wound before, well not one that's made of flesh anyway."

Megatron sat down in his chair and glared at nothing. "Where is Tarantulas?" he demanded looking at the two Predacons. "I bet he could do something about this, yess."

The other Predacons shrugged. They hadn't seen hide nor hair of Tarantulas since before the change. The mad scientist could be anywhere. "I am sorry," Silverbolt said again, staring worriedly at Inferno's body.

"What about the Maximals?" Terrorsaur asked, ignoring the wolf eagle.

"What about them?" Megatron demanded, irritated.

Terrorsaur wasn't about to be intimidated by Megatron's bad temper. He pressed it. "Maybe they could do something about it."

"Like what?" his superior snapped.

"I don't know," the red head said. He thought for a moment then told the other Predacon. "But I think Rhinox studied human anatomy..."

"And how would that help?" Megatron asked impatiently.

"Maybe he will know what to do about Inferno's injury," Terrorsaur suggested. "and the Maximals are usually out looking at nature and stuff when we run into them. They probably know more about flesh wounds than we do..."

Megatron frowned, knowing Terrorsaur was right for a change. He was angry at himself.. He was stuck between his own selfishness and helping his most loyal soldier. He knew if Inferno died from his injury he'd have one less person to help him win this war. He sighed. He'd told Optimus if anything changed he might just think about a truce. Well things had changed. Against his better judgement he'd have to do it, for now.

"Scorponok," he said, turning to his second in command. "See if you can contact the Maximal base."

* * *

Megatron was nervous, Optimus could tell. The dark skinned man refused to meet the Maximal's eyes and his voice held nervous embarrassment. "Well Optimus," Megatron said, smiling carefully. "It seems those changes I mentioned happened after all, yess..."

Optimus looked over at Rattrap, Tigatron and Airazor who were having their wounds treated by Rhinox. Only Rattrap seemed to be listening in. He shook his head vigorously but Optimus ignored him and looked back at Megatron "This wouldn't have anything to do with what you third in command did to three membors of my crew, would it?" he asked.

"No! No, no, no," Megatron said, surprised at the news. "I didn't even know about that." he looked at something Optimus couldn't see. "First of all I found two of your protoforms in Predacon territory."

Optimus eyed him with interest. "Really?" he said, careful not to sound too eager to find out more.

"Uh, yess," Megatron turned the screen toward the two protoforms who stood back eyeing the Predacon base curiously. Optimus noticed the one in white had blood on the front of his clothes. _I wonder what happened._

Before Optimus could say anything or ask about it Megatron turned the screen back on himself. "As you can see they are fine."

"Then why did you want to talk to me?" Optimus asked. _And why is that one in white covered in blood? _"Is this just an excuse to gloat?"

"No," Megatron said instantly. "You see... one of your protoforms ended up wounding one of my men pretty badly and-"

"And what?" Optimus cut him off, not wanting to beat around the bush anymore. Since the change, his patience was running dangerously thin. _Just get out with it already!_ "What _exactly_ do you want?"

Megatron sighed. "I need Rhinox to come and see if he can do something about it." he answered directly.

Optimus shook his head. "I'm afraid that's impossible."

Megatron got impatient. "Why?" he demanded.

"I'm not sending any of my men over there," the Maximal replied. "if you want this person to be treated you have to bring them here."

Megatron glared at him. "How will I know you won't do anything to him?" he demanded.

"Unlike you Predacons we Maximals don't take advantage of someone who is incapacitated," Optimus said pointedly. "Unless that Maximal is Dinobot." he added.

"Yes and speaking of Dinobot," Megatron said. "There is something I need to discuss with you about him."

"You can discuss that here as well." Optimus informed him briskly. He folded his arms. "So what are you going to do?"

Megatron looked like he was forcing himself to hold his temper. "What do you mean?"

"How about we talk about that truce now?"

Megatron sighed. He was cornered. He had no other choice. "Yes, I am ready," he said. "We'll discuss that now."

* * *

When the Predacons and the two protoforms arrived at the Maximal base Rattrap was less than happy to see Rhinox and Cheetor, who had gotten back from something important, carry Inferno into the base and into what had become in infirmary. He glared at the senseless fire ant. "Are you crazy?" he asked Optimus. "That guy tried to roast me, Tigatron, and Airazor and you're going to help him?"

"Yes," Optimus said, not wanting to discuss this with the suspicious rat humanoid. "Since Megatron agreed to a truce, for now, so the least we can do is save Inferno's life." he gave the shorter man a look. "Besides; I think I should remind you that Inferno was once a Maximal protoform..."

Rattrap frowned. He did not like being reminded of that fact, he was too used to Inferno being a Predacon to let that thought cross his mind too often, not that it ever did. "I don't like it," he said, stepping out of the infirmary. "How are we going to know he won't try it again?"

"The Predacons gave up their weapons when they got here," Primal informed him, resting his head on his hand. The Maximal felt a headache coming on. "Even Inferno's flame throwers. That's how I know."

Rattrap gave him a look. "Fine," he said. "But I don't like it."

Megatron stepped into the hall just then. He'd heard the last part of the conversation. "You don't have to like it, vermin," he said.

Rattrap glared at him then stalked away.

Megatron and Optimus watched him go then looked at each other. "Now," Megatron said, folding his arms. "Since we're alone, I need to talk to you about that traitor Dinobot and what he's been doing behind your back..."

A_/N_

_Please don't hate me. I decided Waspinator would get one discs and Dinobot would get the other. Some things will stay the same but I'm trying my best to make some differences. I hope I didn't rush this. Don't worry about it too much. I'm trying my best, honestly! Some "helpful" reviewer mentioned deadly lava pits so I decided to just add that because it sounded interesting. The Preds probably won't spend as much time in their base anymore. I'm not sure I want them to move in with the Maximal's though. What do you think?_

_Are you happy now Koi?_


	5. Chapter 5

_Brief explanation: At first Megatron was going to continue the war, thinking their organic bodies weren't much different than their metal ones. Inferno's injury made him realize that that fact wasn't true and made him think twice about it. Thus changing the storyline from the show more than before, but for how long, I don't know..._

CHAPTER 5

Rhinox might have known a great deal about human anatomy but he hadn't ever used that knowledge before, not on anything living anyway. The most he could do for Inferno, for the time being, was wrap the wound up tightly so it wouldn't bleed anymore and hope for the best. The fire ant's breathing grew normal and he didn't cough up anymore blood. Rhinox wasn't sure if it was a good sign or bad. Inferno had opened his eyes once, but only long enough to glare at the Maximal before he blacked out again. Rhinox wasn't sure if the pyromaniac had really seen him or had just been thinking about the real person who had hurt him. Rhinox didn't know but, if Inferno was thinking about getting revenge, he'd force himself to get better so he could have it. That was not a good thing.

As for the man who'd hurt him... Silverbolt was still freaking out about the whole thing. He kept on insisting it was an accident. The others assured him it wasn't his fault but he disagreed. Eventually he grew annoying and people chose to ignore him until he stopped whining about it, which he didn't even think about doing. it seemed to have become an obsession. The others just hoped that it wouldn't become a part of his personality. Maniacs were bad enough but someone who apologized all the time was even worse.

"You can tell him that when he wakes up," Rattrap told him, walking away from the wolf eagle. "Cuz I don't wanna hear it anymore."

Silverbolt wanted to press the issue and followed Rattrap down the hall. "But, but, but-"

"Stop it!" he snapped, cutting him off.

"But I must made amends!"

Silverbolt was doing two things wrong. Saying he was sorry to the wrong person and following said person around. It was bad enough when Cheetor did that, he didn't need this new guy doing it too. "Then make amends with the right person!" the shorter man shouted, turning on Silverbolt.

"I-I'm sorry." he said.

Rattrap sighed. If that wasn't bad enough, Quickstrike was oogling over Airazor who stayed as close to Tigatron as she could. She shot him a dirty look and Tigatron looked like he'd break his pacifistic nature for once and beat the living slag outta the cobra tail. Rattrap figured the cowboy needed something else to distract him before Tigatron decided to punch his face in. He stepped away from Silverbolt, who looked ready to burst into tears, and took the cowboy aside.

"Hey, c'mere," Rattrap said, getting Quickstrike's attention.

The cowboy's tail hissed at him but Quickstrike walked over to the rat humanoid anyway, ignoring the angry tail. "What?" he asked.

The Maximal got right to it. "I would suggest you lay off Airazor before you even start on her," Rattrap told him. "She's already taken."

"But I wasn't goin' to-" he began.

"Just don't," Rattrap cut him off, poking the younger man in the face. "Ya see that guy she's with? Well that's her boyfriend. If ya try anythin' he's goin' ta waste ya'. Understand?"

Quickstrike nodded. "Understood."

For some reason Rattrap didn't believe that.

Optimus and Megatron went into Primal's office to talk. Optimus let Megatron sit down in his chair as he stood, leaning against the desk, his arms folded. "All right, Megatron," he said, his voice strained with forced patients. "What do you know about Dinobot that you think would be of interest to me?"

Megatron also folded his arms. He leaned back in Optimus' chair, put his black booted feet on the table, and smirked up at the Maximal leader. "It's very simple," he said. "I was informed by Terrorsaur that Dinobot broke into our base and stole the Golden Discs."

Optimus raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean he stole the Golden Discs?"

"Just as it sounds," Megatron answered, absently pushing back his black hair. "That no good traitor broke into the base and stole the discs."

"So where are they now?"

"How should _I_ know?" Megatron demanded, annoyed, that the Maximal wasn't as upset as he hoped he would be. "He probably hid them somewhere." the Predacon put a hand on the left side of his face and smirked. "Tell me, have you seen him around here lately?"

Optimus had to admit he hadn't. Dinobot hadn't returned since he'd abandoned Optimus after the brief discussion of the war they'd had with the Predacons. That had been hours ago. It was starting to get light out. "He hasn't come back yet." he admitted.

"And he probably won't, yesss," Megatron said, looking smug. "He's probably running to save his own hide."

"Dinobot's not a coward," Optimus told him. "You should know that."

"Then _where_ is he?"

Optimus couldn't say. He honestly had no idea but that wasn't anything new. Dinobot always went off without telling anyone. "It doesn't matter," he said, moving away from the desk to pace. "I'm sure he has a good reason for what he did. When he gets back here we can ask him about it."

Megatron smirked and his tail twitched involuntarily, nearly tripping the Maximal leader as he walked by it. "He better have one, yesssss."

At the moment Dinobot was on his way back to the base. He was in no hurry to get back so he was taking his time. It had been quite easy to deal with his injuries and he'd done so after he'd put the Golden Disc in a safe place and the sun began to rise, thus giving him more light to treat the wounds. He wasn't about to let either side know where it was. He had another thing to worry about. Waspinator had stolen the Alien Disc and now he would have to find the humanoid wasp and the disc, before he lost it or worse. This would be harder than you would think. The change had made Waspinator a more agile flier but he had one disadvantage. The disc was heavier for an organic than a robot. He wouldn't be able to carry it for very long.

This realization make Dinobot stop. Maybe he should put off going to the base until he found , that would be better. he changed direction.

Waspinator couldn't have gone very far.

Blackarachnia returned to the Predacon base and found it empty. She didn't yet know about the incident with Inferno or the temporary truce going on so she was more than a little surprised to find the whole base empty. None of the Predacons were there, not even Megatron who was usually the one who was there most of the time.

_Where is everyone? _she wondered, walking through the base, looking in rooms for any sign of her comrades. "Terrorsaur are you in here?"

Scorponok's climate control program was still online for the time being, since he hadn't bothered turning it off when they left, figuring they wouldn't be gone for a long time, so she didn't have to worry about the volcanic atmosphere hurting her while she was inside. She looked in all the rooms but couldn't find anyone. It was as if they all disappeared.

_That's strange, _she thought. _Where did everybody go? Why isn't anyone here? Did something happen? Are they all out attacking the Maximals?_

The thought seemed likely but, something told her that wasn't it. "Then _what_ is it?" she asked herself, leaning against the computer console in the control room and folding her arms. "What would make them leave?"

A strand of black, wavy, hair fell over her eyes. She angrily brushed it away. She was really starting to hate all this hair! It got in the way so much and got tangled on everything. She would have cut it off but she didn't know what she'd wind up looking like if she did, or how her robotic body would look once she got it back. Instead she would have to find something to tie it back with. The streamers on her arms were very tempting to use but, when she tried to rip one off to do so, she felt pain in her arm and couldn't. She let the thing go with a curse. It wasn't just an accessory, it was a _part _of her!

"I don't need this!" she growled to herself. "Those stupid streamers are irritating and now, when I try to rip them off, I discover that I can't!?" she slammed her fist on the console. "By the Pit!"

The console behind her suddenly came on. _"...__**you know I will only agree to this if you promise not to go back on your word**__..." _a voice blared behind her.

The sudden noise took her by surprise. "Eek!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She turned instantly toward the computer screen. A recording of a recent conversation was playing but no imagines were shown. Just audio. She froze, listening.

_**"You have my word that we won't try anything, Primal,"**_ the voice of Megatron blared out of the speakers. _**"I realized something vital about these new bodies and I don't think I'll continue the war until I get some things thought out."**_

"_**So until then you want a truce?"**_ was Optimus Primal's reply. He did not sound convinced.

_**"To put it in simple terms, yes."**_

A pause then the sound of air escaping through a nose. _**"Fine. I'll agree to it. You can bring him here."**_

_**"I will see you then, Primal."**_

_**"One more thing."**_

_**"Yes?"**_

_**"If you try anything we'll be forced to defend ourselves."**_

_**"I wouldn't expect anything less for you, Primal, no."**_

And that was that. The only audio after was static.

Blackarachnia stood there a moment, staring at the screen, her mind going over what she'd just heard. So the other Predacons had discussed a truce and now they were at the Maximal base. She couldn't say she was happy about this but, now since she knew, she wouldn't be allowed to hurt the Maximals. She was left with a bit of a problem here, though. Should she head to the Maximal base or should she take advantage of Megatron's absence to hack into his files?

Being the spider she was, she chose the latter.

Waspinator finally had to rest. The Alien Disc he'd taken was a lot heavier than it had first looked and was doing a number on the muscles in his arms. He found a good place to rest and landed on a cliff, not too far away from the Predacon base, but not too close either. He didn't want to be spotted with the Disc by either fraction.

He sat down on the rocky ground and stared at the disc in his hands. He'd stolen the disc on impulse. He'd been panicking and half out of his mind when he'd grabbed it before Dinobot could. Now that he had it, he had no idea what he was going to do with it.

He always said he had plans but, now that he had something to begin them with, his mind had gone blank. He had no idea what to do with the power he held.

_What Wazzpinator going to do now?_ he asked himself. He frowned at his organic reflection. He couldn't really do anything he wanted to do in this form. It was too fragile and tired out too easily. Besides, it was ugly, or so he told himself.

Waspinator's new form really wasn't all that bad looking, considering what he _could_ have ended up looking like. His face looked like that of a man about twenty. His large purple eyes were very expressive and had a slight glow to them. His green hair was cut short and his bangs hung about a fraction of an inch above his eyes. His green tinted skin was clear, which was a plus, not ache problems. His nose was a little on the small side but at least it wasn't gigantic. Now that he thought about it, none of the Predacons or even Dinobot for that matter had large noses or anything on their faces that made them look stupid. Besides the random animal parts. Like the bee antenna sticking out of his hair and wavering lazily in the breeze. Was that intentional?

One of the antenna fell slightly and he pushed it back into place. Yeah the animal qualities were annoying but at least they weren't dominant. He shivered at the realization that, if they had been, he would of have bug vision. That kind of vision was hard enough to see with when he had been in beast mode before. Permanent bug vision would have driven him crazy.

He sighed and stood up, holding the disc in both hands. What was he doing? He coudn't sit there and think about what he did and didn't look like! That was stupid. He had more important things to think about right now. Like, what he was going to do with the Alien Disc now that he had it? He didn't even know how to use it.

_Wonder what Lizard-bot izz doing with Golden Dizzc right now? _he thought.

Against his better judgment, and he never really was a logical thinker, he decided to go looking for the raptor humanoid.

Buzzing his wings to life he grasped the disc tightly in both hands and flew off to find Dinobot.

Tarantulas hadn't even set one foot into his own lair when the security system went off, sensing an unauthorized person. The system turned on it's guns and started shooting at him. "Oh no! AHHHHH!" he screamed, ducking back outside.

"Slag," he said out loud when the guns had finally turned off and he could get out of hiding. "I forgot about that program!" He peeked back into his lair. He saw the blinking red light that told him that it was scanning for the intruder. "Now how am I going to get inside?"

He stood there a moment, thinking. He'd program the security system in his lair to shoot at anything that came in that wasn't him. He'd recently installed it after Blackarachnia had snuck into his lair one too many times. This new program couldn't recognize Tarantulas' now organic form as the same person. Getting inside would be tricky but doable. He just had to be careful.

_But how am I going to do that?_ he wondered, then noticed the streamers on his arms quivering again.

He gave them a look of annoyance. They'd been doing that since he'd become organic. They got in his way too but he couldn't get rid of them. He'd tried and wound up hurting himself. They were a part of him, whether he liked it or not. There had to be some sort of use for them, why else would he have them? "Hmmm... I wonder what would happen if I-" he reached down to rip one off.

Pain shot up his arm and he let it go. "So, these things are a part of my body," he mused. "Like spider limbs only different... Interesting," he thought for a moment. "I wonder if I can use them the same way..."

He reached out his arm to touch the wall. The streamers on his arms came to life and latched onto the stone. He watched in fascination as they slowly started climbing up the side of the wall, taking him with them in the process. "So, they have a use after all," he concluded. He smiled. "Excellent. Teheehhee." he looked toward the entrance to his lair. "Maybe now I can get inside..."

In the infirmary Inferno lay sleeping on one of the hard cots the Maximals had brought in. His breathing had returned to normal and whatever blood he'd coughed up was now a dry stream on the side of his face that could be easily wiped off. Though he was sleeping, his body stayed tense, so to awaken instantly if something happened. He'd gotten into the habit when he was a robot and was still this way. He did not want to be caught sleeping on the job.

At the moment he was too weak from his wound and the loss of blood that he wouldn't have heard a bomb go off, much less the door sliding open as a figure clad mostly in black slid into the room and sat down on the cot beside him.

_He looks so different in this form, _that person thought, staring at his slightly girlish face in fascination._ I'm not used to this. _A smile_. But this isn't bad, not bad at all..._ A hand reached out to touch his face but, before it got there, there were footsteps in the hall. The figure quickly got up and stole quietly out of the room through the other door.

Airazor opened the door and stuck her head into the room. Her green eyes made a quick scan of the interior but all she saw was Inferno still lying prone on the cot. "Huh," she said, pulling her head out of the room. "I thought I heard someone in here." she walked back down the hall. "It must have been my imagination.."

"I am willing to do anything to make up for harming your comrade," Silverbolt was saying as he followed Terrorsaur around the _Axalon_. Terrorsaur was only going for a walk around the ship because he had nothing better to do and didn't feel like talking to Scorponok, who he didn't get along with anyway. He'd only let Silverbolt tag along because the sight of the half eagle half wolf humanoid sitting with restless leg syndrome made him nervous.

Terrorsaur turned his head to glare at the eagle wolf humanoid. He was starting to regret letting the man follow him around and constantly apologizing for what he'd done to Inferno. If it had been an accident like he said he didn't need to worry about it, nobody was going to hold it against him. The others had told him that already, but he still thought he had to make up for it.

"Just forget it," Terrorsaur said, giving the Maximal a fierce look. "It's not a big deal."

"But I can't just forget it," Silverbolt protested in a whiny voice. "If I find out I killed him I'll never forgive myself."

"Inferno won't die that easily," the red haired Predacon told him. "He's not a wimp!"

"I never said he was," the Maximal replied. "But I'll still be guilty if something happens to him."

Terrorsaur sighed. This guy was hopeless. _Why do morons always come out of those stasis pods? _It seemed to be the curse for all protoforms. They either came out annoying and stupid or... bitchy, or all three. _"_Look," he said, locking eyes with the protoform. "If you really want to make up for what you did, you'll just forget about it."

Silverbolt didn't see it that way. "But I can't just-" he started to protest.

Terrorsaur's fist slammed into the wall by Silverbolt's head, cutting him off. He looked at Silverbolt with dark eyes. "You're constant apologizing isn't helping in any way!" he snapped. "You're just coming off as annoying! Now you either shut up and stop talking about it or I put my fist in its proper target, your face!"

Silverbolt let the threat sink in. If this was how he was making Terrorsaur feel about it maybe he should lay off the apologizing. Ticking off people was the last thing he wanted to do. He'd already made one enemy, he didn't want more. "Fine," he said, giving in. "I won't mention it anymore."

Terrorsaur relaxed. His face softened as he said, rubbing his now sore hand. "That's better. Now we understand each other."

"Where's Big Bot?" Cheetor asked Rhinox when he entered the control room. He'd been wanting to talk to Optimus about something important but he couldn't seem to find the man anywhere.

"He's busy right now," Rhinox said from his spot in front of the computer. "Why? Is there something you need to talk to him about?"

"Yeah," Cheetor replied. "It has something to do with the Predacons."

Rhinox turned to face the young man with the cheetah tail. "Cheetor," he said, looking over the top of his glasses. "If you're going to complain to Optimus about the Predacons I would advise against it. He's not in a good mood right now."

"I wasn't going to _complain_ about them," Cheetor told him, folding his arms. "It has nothing to do with us fighting them."

"Then _what_ do you want to talk about with him?"

Cheetor sat down in the other chair that Inferno hadn't broken. "Do I have to share a room with one of them?" he asked.

"Who told you that?"

"No one," he answered. "But I heard Scorponok say that they might be moving into our base and well..."

"They're _not _moving into our base," Rhinox assured him. "They're just going to stay here for awhile."

That didn't sound reassuring. Awhile could wind up being weeks. "How long?"

"Until Inferno is better."

"How long will that be?"

"I don't know."

"But _you're_ the one who took care of him," Cheetor pointed out. "Surely you must know."

"I don't," Rhinox was getting frustrated. He folded his arms and gave Cheetor a searching look. "What does it matter?" he asked. "What is it Cheetor? What's bothering you for real?"

"I-" Cheetor stopped. He couldn't explain himself. Not to Rhinox. "Nevermind." he started out of the room. "You wouldn't understand."

_A/N_

_BWAHAHAHA! I am so lame. While I was writing this I was watching the old GI Joe movie on Youtube. XD The only reason I watched it was because the Cobra Commander sounds like Starscream (probably because they're voiced by the same person). That and I always liked Cobra Commander. He's sexy! XD XD XD_

_I have an insanity problem. I always like to see my favorite characters suffer. It's strange. I must be psychotic! Ahh, forgive me Inferno!_

_Today is my birthday! WEEEEEEEE! I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad. I'm now no longer a teenager. _


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Nobody had noticed Blackarachnia when she'd slipped into the Maximal base, not that they would have paid her any attention anyway. It had been very easy for her because the shield was down thanks to the temporary truce. She'd made a slight detour while she went through the base on her way to a specific location. She didn't trust the computers at the Predacon base so she was going to download the information she'd stolen onto one of the Maximal computers. Her little detour had been out of curiosity on a certain subject and, now that her curiosity had been satisfied, she was now content for the time being. She stepped into Dinobot's room and headed toward his computer. She knew his CPU had the best security against hackers because there were things on it nobody was allowed to see .Even as a Maximal Dinobot kept things to himself, not trusting even his comrades with certain pieces of information. Because of this she'd be able to hide her own data on it without anyone, even Dinobot, detecting it.

"Now," she said, sitting down at his desk and turning on the laptop. "Let's get to work."

The screens blue light illuminated her face as she started typing out commands.

Waspinator had no idea where he was going. He knew he had to find Dinobot but he didn't know where the raptor turned humanoid could be. He figured that Dinobot wasn't about to bring the Golden Disc to the Maximal base so he wouldn't have to bother going there for the time being. If he did wind up going there it would be a last resort, and hopefully that wouldn't happen.

_Lizard-bot can't hide from Wazzpinator,_ the humanoid wasp thought, hovering over the rocky ground, his location still close to the Predacon base. He landed on the ground and took a few steps forward. _Wazzpinator will find Lizard-bot and make him give back the Golden Dizzc..._

It was a good idea but too bad he wouldn't be able to carry it out. As fate would have it, Dinobot found him first.

Since Waspinator was too tired to fly anymore he'd wound up walking, holding the Disc in both hands as he did. The weight of it made him walk quite slow and, since most of his concentration was focused on not dropping it on his foot, he was taken by complete surprise when the blue skinned raptor humanoid came out of nowhere and grabbed him by the throat and shoved him hard into the ground.

"Ahhhh!" Waspinator screamed before Dinobot's grasp tightened just enough to cut him off. Now, since he couldn't scream, he could only stare up at Dinobot's angry face.

"You thought you could get away with the disc, insect," the humanoid raptor growled. "I will have you know I do not give up getting what I want so easily." he snarled. "You should have realized I would come for it."

Waspinator tried to say something but no words were able to be uttered. The only thoughts going through his mind were "He's going to kill me!" at the moment he didn't really care about the disc. Living was more important. Though he was used to being blown apart all the time if he got hurt, in this form he'd die and stay dead. No CR Tank would ever be able to revive him.

Lucky for him, Dinobot wasn't going to kill him. He didn't want to kill him. Still holding Waspinator down, he reached out with his other hand and yanked the Disc out of the Predacon's hands. He felt the weight but, being stronger than Waspinator, didn't seem affected by it as much. He held the Disc in one hand, staring at his own reflection for a few minutes before he let Waspinator go and started off with the Disc.

Waspinator sat up gasping, surprised and relieved that Dinobot hadn't done anything more than try to choke him. He watched the Maximal sprint away, startled at the speed of the raptor humanoid. _It muzzzt be becauzze of Lizard-botzzz beazzzt mode. _he thought, getting up, his hand still on his throat.

Now the wasp had a problem. Dinobot had both Discs and he had none. This got him off the hook for stealing the disc if they ever found out he was a part of it but now he couldn't put his own plans into action. "What Wazzzpinator going to do now?!" he asked himself out loud. Then beat himself up for having it stolen in the first place. "Wazzpinator zzzzzztupid..."

"Dinobot doesn't just take things without having some kind of reason behind it," Optimus told Megatron.

Megatron folded his arms and frowned. "Reason or not, they _don't _belong to him," he stated. "He has no right to take them from me."

"They don't belong to _you_ either, Megatron," Optimus pointed out. "You stole them from their rightful owners and now they've been stolen from you." he smirked. "What goes around comes around."

"I don't believe in karma, Primal. No," Megatron said flatly.

"Karma has nothing to do with it," Optimus said. "It's irony. Now, if you don't have anything else to say, could you please go? I have something I need to do."

Megatron got out of Optimus chair with disgust. "What are you going to do about Dinobot?" he asked.

"I'll figure that out when I see him." was the only answer he received.

The Predacon wasn't happy with that answer but he didn't say anything. He just turned and started out of the room. "I should have figured Primal wouldn't do anything about that traitor Dinobot," he growled as he stomped out of Optimus' office and down the hall. "Well if he won't deal with his own comrades I will have to. I am not about to let that coward get away with stealing the Golden discs from me, no," he smiled to himself as a thought came to him. "Dinobot should have gave his little scheme more thought before he acted upon it. I wonder if he even thought about having to deal with me?!"

He brushed past Terrorsaur who was coming the other way and didn't even looked back when he knocked the humanoid dinosaur to the floor.

"Hey!" Terrorsaur shouted after him. "Watch where you're going!"

Megatron ignored him and disappeared around the corner.

Terrorsaur cursed after him then pushed himself to his feet. _Damn Megatron!_ he thought, pushing his fiery red hair out of his blood red eyes. _Doesn't even pay attention to where he's walking!_ he glared in the direction Megatron had gone once more. _What is wrong with him anyway?_

"Airazor," Tigatron said.

"Yeah?" she asked, turning to him.

The two had gone outside to take a walk and now since they were no longer within earshot of anyone in the base, and out of view of a certain oogling cowboy, they could now talk freely.

"I need to ask you something," he said, his tiger tail wagging slightly.

"What?" she asked, noticing the look on his face. Something was bothering him.. _What does he have to ask me? Does it have something to do with our relationship? Does he want to end it?_

"Do you think this change is permanent?" he asked, raising his hands and looking at himself.

She met his gaze, though she was confused by the question. "Why do you want my opinion?" she asked.

"I just want to know how you feel about it," he said, looking himself over again. "Though I felt more organic than robot before, this new body makes me uncomfortable."

She nodded. She felt the same way. Her new body had functions she could do without. "We don't have to get used to it," she told him. "Whatever made us this way is bound to wear off eventually. I'm sure we'll return to our real forms sometime soon."

He frowned and pitched the doom question. "What if we don't?"

She shrugged and shook her head. She could not answer that question. "Primus help us..."

"ROYALTY!"

Megatron wasn't very far from the infirmary when he heard the distressed call of Inferno. He stopped in his tracks. If Inferno was shouting then that meant he was awake and that meant... The Predacon started running.

"Inferno," he said, crashing into the infirmary. "What is the-" he stopped in his tracks and stared.

Rhinox was in there. He was trying to hold the former fire ant robot down. Inferno's girlish face was full fo anger and desperation. He seemed to be trying to fight Rhinox off who wasn't about to back down. When he and Rhinox looked up at Megatron their faces held the same expression.

Megatron took a moment to find the right words before he demanded. "What in the Pit are you doing?" his question was directed at Rhinox. "I did not put him in your care so you could rape him! No!"

"What?!" Rhinox exclaimed, letting Inferno got and glaring at Megatron. "I beg your pardon! I wasn't... I won't use the word... I didn't do anything to him! I was just trying to change his bandage when he woke up and threw a fit! What do I look like?!"

Megatron could have chosen any kind of word to use because of Rhinox's slightly geeky organic form but he held his tongue. Rhinox might look like a nerd but he was a _strong_ nerd. Getting into a fight with him would be best avoided. Instead he said. "Oh, is that all?"

Rhinox sighed with exasperation. "Yes, _that _is all," he said. "Now if you would be so kind as to say something to your soldier that would calm him down I would really like to change his bandage before his wound starts bleeding again."

Megatron took a deep breath and sighed it out. Oh boy. "Fine," he said. "I will talk to him." he brushed past Rhinox and stood over Inferno, his arms folded and his expression that of a overly patient father. "Inferno," he said.

"Yes, Royalty," Inferno said, looking up at his superior.

The right words to say to Inferno would be harder to form than Megatron realized. Inferno would be confused about the explanation and might even question the motive. "Inferno," he said again. "You must let the Maximal treat your wound."

The former ant frowned, his girly face asking questions better off answered later. Megatron quickly spoke again before Inferno could say anything. "Right now we are in the middle of a truce with the Maximals, yess," he said, slowly so the words would sink in. "They trust us enough not to get into fights so we must trust them."

"But-" Inferno began, not understanding.

Megatron got right into the former fire ant's face. "I will explain later," he said. "Just let Rhinox take care of you."

Inferno said nothing more. He chose to trust his leader and nodded. "Yes, my Queen."

Megatron turned back to Rhinox. "You can continue now," he said.

Tarantulas had finally gotten into his lair thanks to the strange quivering streamers on his arms. He'd crawled along the ceiling where his sensors couldn't detect him and, when he'd entered the lair, he'd jumped down from the roof and quickly turned it off before the guns could pinpoint his location. Now he could check out the images he'd captured on of the Predacon base on his computer. So far he'd only seen the Maximals and Inferno and Blackarachnia as humanoids so he was curious about whether or not the _other_ Predacons had gone through the same thing.

He quickly typed out a code, realizing the new form of his hands allowed him to do it much faster, and images of the Predacon base appeared on the screen. He wound the tape to the night before and watched the recording.

Video: Megatron and Scorponok in the control room in their robots modes. The volume was on mute so Tarantulas didn't hear what they were saying but he didn't think it was important anyway. Suddenly a bright flash came from nowhere and the whole base was rocked by an explosion. The camera didn't go out though and Tarantulas watched as something strange started happening to Megatron's body. He saw it slowly begin to morph into that of a organic creature, almost completely human except for the T-Rex tail.

_What in the Pit?_

The transformation didn't last much longer. In a matter of seconds Megatron's body had become completely organic. When it was complete Tarantulas stopped the feed and rested his forehead on his fingertips, his mind running a hundred miles a second. An explanation was slowly forming into his mind and coming together in rational pieces. This video told him something, something very important.

_So __**that's**__ it! _He looked at his hand. _**They **__did this to us_. The hand clasped into a fist and he struck the computer console. _No! No!_

Dinobot finally returned to the Maximal base. He had made sure to hide both Discs in secure and separate locations before he returned. He didn't want anybody finding them both, that would be too dangerous. He wasn't aware that Megatron had told Optimus about the stealing of the discs or the fact that either knew about it. He was sure Waspinator hadn't said anything so he figured nobody had found out yet. He was soon proven wrong.

He barely gotten out of the elevator when Megatron came stomping into the control room. Both froze at the sight of each other. "Megatron," Dinobot said, surprised and confused to see the Predacon in the Axalon. "What are you doing _here_?!"

Megatron got over his surprise quickly and replied. "I happen to have business here, Dinobot, yess," he said, walking purposely toward the slightly smaller man. He reached out a gloved hand and grabbed Dinobot by the front of his shirt. "I was just informing Primal about your thievery," he growled. "He said he'd deal with you when you got back but, since I just so happened to encounter you first, I will be having those honors."

Dinobot braced himself. He figured Megatron would probably started wailing on him but he wasn't about to just let him. He still had his sword after all and he would use it without hesitation if he had to.

Megatron didn't have the gun on his arm anymore but he figured his fist would do enough damage. He raised it to strike.

"Wait!" Dinobot shouted, putting up his hand to deflect the blow. "I have something to tell you!"

Megatorn froze. _Now what? _"You'd better have a good explanation," Megatron said, his fist still raised. "Now talk."

Dinobot worded his explanation very carefully. He wasn't about to tell the truth so he wanted to make sure his lie was as believable as possible. "I took them because I did not want anything to happen to them," he explained. "I figured the Maximals might take advantage of the Situation and take them back themselves." he gave Megatron a knowing look. "I know you need them for something important and I also know that this planet is Earth which makes things complicated for both sides."

"How do you know this is Earth?" Megatron demanded.

Dinobot smiled knowingly. "Have you not looked at the sky?" he asked. "There is only one moon now so that can only mean one thing."

"How do you figure that?"

The other man glared at him as he said. "I am not stupid."

Megatron frowned. No, Dinobot was not stupid but his explanation seemed a bit odd. Megatron had also noticed how Dinobot referred to his Maximal comrades as "The Maximals" as if he was distancing himself from them, as if he was no longer one of them... "Why..." he began forming a question but he couldn't come up with the right words. "Why did you refer to your comrades as "the Maximals"?" he asked instead.

"Can you not figure it out?"

Only one answer came to mind and Megatron didn't believe it. It seemed too easy. "You are no longer a Maximal?" he asked.

Dinobot was corrective. "I never was one."

Megatron frowned. "How can I be sure you're not going to change your mind again?" he asked.

Dinobot's smirk grew slightly mocking. "Because I will give you what you want," he replied.

Megatron thought that over for a moment then smiled. "Hmmmmmmm."

At that moment Tigatron and Airazor came into the control room using the other elevator. When Megatron saw them, he let go of Dinobot's shirt and walked away. Tigatron and Airazor watched the dark haired Predacon go then looked at Dinobot. "What was that about, my friend?" Tigatron asked.

Dinobot made that strange sighing noise and said. "It is not important."

The two Maximals looked at each other then back at Dinobot. They didn't believe him but they knew he wouldn't give them any answers if they asked him again. Tigatron gave him another look and left the room, his mind already on giving his report to Optimus Primal. Airazor stayed behind, her green eyes locked on Dinobot's blue organic face, her expression thoughtful. Dinobot stared back, not liking the way she was staring. It was making him nervous, as if she was reading his intentions without making an effort. He glared at her then moved away from her gaze, stepping into the hall and heading to his room.

Blackarachnia finished with Dinobot's computer and quickly turned it off. She pocketed the files she'd taken from the Predacon computer and slipped out of the room. She hadn't gotten very far when she ran into Silverbolt who was coming the other way.

"Whoa!" Silverbolt exclaimed when she slammed into his chest. He grabbed her before she fell over. "Watch where you're going!"

She regained her balance and looked up at him. They locked eyes for a second then she roughly broke free from his grasp. "Let me go!" she ordered, wrenching away. "Don't touch me."

"I am sorry," he said, not understanding why she was acting so strange.. "I was just trying to keep you from falling over."

"I don't _need_ your help," she told him, brushing off her arms. She eyed him up and down, taking in his face, and ears, wings and tail. "And I thought _I_ became a freak after the change," she commented.

"Excuse me?" he said, sounding confused.

"Nothing," she answered, waving him off. "It's not important."

Then, with a wave of her hand and a flick of her long black hair, she saundered away from him, carrying herself in a way that said she wanted him to watch her retreat. He watched her go, a little confused about her body language and by the fact that she seemed to be in a bit of a hurry.

_I wonder who she is and what she was up to?_ he asked himself.

"Hey, Choppa-face!"

Dinobot stopped walking. He growled to himself and turned around to face the speaker. "What do _you _want, vermin?" he demanded.

Rattrap stood leaning against the wall, his arms folded and his tail twitching on its own accord. He gave Dinobot a look. "Fearless Leader wants to have a word with ya," he replied.

"What about?" Dinobot demanded. Right now he didn't want to talk to anyone, especially Optimus.

"How should _I_ know?" Rattrap replied. "He won't tell me. The only thing he said was that he wanted to talk to you and you'd better go talk to him before he comes looking for you." Rattrap raised an eyebrow and pointed a finger at the blue skinned raptor humanoid. "What did ya do to him anyway? He seemed mad about somethin'."

"I did not do _anything_ to him," Dinobot replied, suddenly figuring out what this was about. The Discs. _He wants to speak with me about the Discs_. "I have just gotten back. I have not seen him since last night."

"Well you had better see him now," the smaller man told him. "Because, if ya don't, he'll be even more annoyed with you."

"And we would not want that," Dinobot said sarcastically. "it would be a horrible crime to anger Primal."

Rattrap was startled at the tone his comrade used. _What's go him so annoyed? _He cocked his head. "Are ya feelin' all right?"

"I am fine," Dinobot growled. He started away. "I will talk to him now."

"He's in his office!" Rattrap called after him.

Dinobot didn't say anything else. Rattrap watched him go, confused by the way his comrade had acted._ What was that all about anyway?_

"What do you want to talk to me about, Optimus?" Dinobot asked, stepping into the Maximal leader's office.

Optimus looked up at the raptor with a serious look on his face. "Close the door," he ordered.

Dinobot did so, knowing if the door needed to be closed he was in big trouble. All well, he could take it. He was used to things like this even though Primal's personality change was a little strange_. It must be the Change's fault, _Dinobot figured. It had made Optimus Primal an impatient person. When the door was shut he folded his arms and braced himself for the reprimands.

"Dinobot," Optimus began, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hands. "I was recently informed by Megatron that you took something important from his base."

"Yes," the raptor said. "I have."

Optimus raised an eyebrow. So Megatron wasn't lying and Dinobot wasn't going to either. This could make things easier or harder, depending on who Optimus should believe. Dinobot had nothing to lose by being honest, and he would rather believe the raptor over the Predacon leader anyway.

"Was it the Golden Discs?"

"One of them," Dinobot replied.

"One of them?"

"Waspinator stole the other one."

"Waspinator?" This was a surprised. "What would he want with the Golden Discs?"

"I do not know," Dinobot replied. "He did not say but I think he might have wanted them for the exact same reason I stole them."

"And what would that reason be?"

"I cannot say..."

Optimus tried to be patient which wasn't easy thease days. "Why can't you tell me?" he asked.

Dinobot looked away, his expression becoming closed. "I just cannot tell you," he replied. "Not now."

"Don't you trust me?" Optimus asked.

"I do not trust _anyone_," Dinobot replied, looking back at Primal. "What I know is too delicate to tell anyone right now, even you." he folded his arms, his expression becoming even more closed in. "I hope you understand."

Optimus didn't but he wasn't about to say so. He just nodded and lied. "I understand."

Tarantulas left his lair with his mind full of new knowledge. He knew something nobody else knew and that made him feel superior. He knew how they'd all become humans but he wasn't about to tell anyone, not until he chose to give them the information, if he chose to give it at all.

_Megatron thinks he's the only one smart enough to figure out what happened, _Tarantulas thought, heading toward the Predacon base. _Well once again I have proven that I am one step ahead of him, and one step closer to regaining my original body! Tehehhehee.._

_A/N_

_Hmmm, should I introduce Rampage in the next chapter or wait a little longer? I hope I didn't confuse anyone and I hope you enjoyed it. I've been watching the G1 episodes on Youtube so they might act a little weird because of it. I hope not. Did they?_


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Inferno was restless. He didn't like having to stay in one spot for so long. He'd never had to stay still for this long before, unless he was under orders to do so. Well he _was _under orders but his now organic body had a shorter patients than his robot body had. And another thing, he didn't like being in the infirmary in the Maximal base. He didn't trust the Maximals, truce or no truce. He touched the wound Silverbolt had inflicted on him. Pain filled him again and he winced, grinding his teeth. He was angry at himself. Pain had never bothered him before but now....

Then there was the wolf bird humanoid that had done this to very thought of him made the fire ant's blood boil. If he ever saw him again it would be too soon.

_He will regret ever wounding me,_ the pyromaniac thought, clenching a fist. _Truce or no truce. If I see him again he's scrap!_

Just then he heard the door slide open. _Now what?_ he wondered, turning his attention toward the entrance. A figure in white stepped into the room. Silverbolt. The one who'd wounded him. What did he want? Did he come to finish the job?

Inferno glared at the Protoform wishing he had his gun so he could finish the wolf bird off. "You!" he growled, his red eyes full of hate. "What do you want?"

The wolf-eagle stopped just a few feet from the cot Inferno was lounging on. It took him a moment to think of anything to say. "I," Silverbolt began, looking unsure, playing with a strand of hair. "I came to apologize for hurting you earlier. "

"You want to _apologize_?" Inferno demanded, surprised. Well _that_ was unexpected. "_Why_ would you want to do that? " Since he didn't have his gun he just pointed a finger in Silverbolt's face. "This had better not be a trick to make me trust you, fuzor!"

"It's not a trick," Silverbolt protested. "I am very sorry for what happened." he spread his hands. "I was only trying to defend myself."

"You should not have bothered with such a stupid move, fuzor!" Inferno shouted.

"I didn't want to die!"

"It would have been better if you had!" Without warning he lunged at Silverbolt.

--------------------

Blackarachnia was on her way out of the Maximal base when she ran into Megatron. He grunted as she smacked into his chest. She fell to the floor and landed on her back. "Ow!" she exclaimed, sitting up.

Megatron hadn't even taken a step back when she'd walked into him. "Blackarachnia," he said, looking down at her. The female robot's human appearance was totally what he least expected. The long, wavy black hair, the cream colored skin, the skin tight black and yellow clothing... the orange spidery streamers on her arms that moved on their own accord. Well he wasn't about to be distracted by her now, more sexy, appearance, not that he was into organic bodies anyway. "Where have you been?"

Blackarachnia looked up at him. "Megatron!" she gasped, taking in his appearance as well. He looked different but she could recognize his voice and the colors kind of gave it away as well."What are you doing here?"

"I'm here because right now we're in the middle of a truce, yess," he replied, folding his arms. He gave her a once over. "And what have you been up to, spider?"

"Nothing," she said quickly, getting to her feet and brushing off her clothing. "I was just on my way out." she started to go. "See ya."

"Wait," he grabbed her arm to stop her. She looked over her shoulder at him, her expression telling him she didn't appreciate it. "Where do you think _you're_ going?"

"Out," she said again. "Where _else_ would I go?"

"I wonder sometimes," he commented. "But, no matter. I don't want you leaving this base, no."

"Why _not_?" she demanded. "Why do you want me to stay in the base so much?"

"So I can keep an eye on you," he replied, as if the answer was obvious. "I don't need you sneaking around behind my back, no."

"You don't have to worry about that," she replied. "With _this_ body I couldn't do any damage anyway."

Megatron wasn't so sure about that. In her new body she could do a different kind of damage, if the other bots were into fleshly bodies, which they weren't. He wasn't sure how long that would last though. He wasn't sure how long it would be before he and the other started to act and think like organic beings instead of robots. Hopefully they would be changed back before then.

"Just stay here," he said, letting her go and starting off. "I will have the Maximals make sure you do."

"Why?" she asked. "Why do you want them to make sure I don't leave? Won't you be here to do it?"

He ignored the sarcastic tone in her voice. "I have something important to do, yess," he told her. "I don't have time to worry about you right now."

Before she could ask him what he meant he turned the corner and was gone.

----------------

Megatron _did _have something else he needed to do. He and Dinobot had a certain item to get and he didn't have time to worry about Blackarachnia and what she was doing right now. He would worry about her later.

Dinobot had finished up with his discussion with Optimus, not punished for what he'd done and but a little wiser. Though he'd told Optimus about the discs and what happened afterward, he said nothing about the deal he'd made with Megatron. It was best that Primal didn't know that part, for now. Dinobot would be honest about it later. He'd gotten off with only a warning, this time.

_But if Megatron thinks I will show or tell him where the other disc is he will be terribly disappointed,_ the raptor humanoid thought, heading back to the control room where Megatron said he would be waiting._ But if the Maximals find out about my betrayal I fear they won't be so forgiving this time..._

Just then Airazor stepped around the corner and blocked his path. He stopped in his tracks and stared at the winged woman. He noticed her eyes still held that searching look from before. "Airazor," he said, his voice impatient. "What do you want? I am busy right now."

"What could you be busy with?" she asked, fixing him with a probing stare. "With the war on hold because of the Change there's nothing you can do right now."

"I am late for an important meeting," Dinobot replied, being half honest. "I do not have time to waste talking to you."

She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head, a trait she'd picked up from her bird form. Her organic body made the gesture look almost childish. "You won't be wasting time talking to me," she replied, her eyes searching his face. "I think you're hiding something."

"I am always hiding something," he informed her. "Why is it that you are the only one who asks me about these things?"

"Because you're the only one who refuses to talk to me," she replied, stepping toward him and brushing a strand of her brown hair out of her eyes. "I would like to know why."

"It is not important," he replied, brushing past her. "I do not ignore you, Airazor. I just do not know how to speak to females."

"What do you-" but he wasn't paying attention anymore. He continued down the hall, ignoring her. She watched him go then put her hands on her hips, her expression frustrated. "Well he didn't have to be like that."

---------------

Cheetor was heading back to his own room when he heard the sound of bodies clashing in the infirmary. "Jumpin' gyros!" he exclaimed coming to a stop when a body hit the other side of the wall to his right. "What was that?"

He heard another body blow then a grunt.

"I'm sorry!" a muffled voice shouted through the wall.

"Sorry isn't going to save you, fuzor!" another muffled voice shouted. "If I had my gun you would buuurn!"

_Inferno?! I thought he was out of commission. _He heard another body hit the wall and started running. "I don't know who that pyromaniac is beating up but I can't let him do so!" he reached the door and burst inside. "What in the Matrix is going on here?!" he demanded.

Inferno, who was on the floor, pinning a body in white down with his knee and holding the white figure by the throat looked up at Cheetor. The young man saw insanity on the maniac's girly face. He took a step back, not sure what he should do. "Uh..." he stammered.

"You!" inferno growled at him. "What are you _staring _at?! Do you want to try to kill me too, Maximal?!"

"No," Cheetor replied, having no idea what he was even talking about. "But I don't think you should be doing that."

"Doing what?" Inferno asked then looked down at the figure he'd been trying to kill. "You mean dealing with _him!?" _he growled. "I will not allow myself to-"

"I AM SORRY!" the figure in white screamed, his one eye blackened and a long scratch bleeding down the side of his cheek. "I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN!"

"Hey," Cheetor exclaimed. "Let him go already."

"But he-"

"He said he was sorry," Cheetor cut him off. "The least you could do was forgive him. I'm sure he didn't mean to offend you."

"He tried to _kill_ me."

"Not on purpose," Silverbolt gasped. "I was only defending myself."

"You're lying."

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Cool your jets, Inferno," Cheetor cut in, grabbing Inferno by the shoulder and forcing him off Silverbolt. "He said he was sorry and the least you could do is forgive him. "

"I do not forgive! I _burn_!"

Cheetor rolled his eyes. "Well you can't _burn _anything right now," he said, noticing Inferno's wound was bleeding again. "Right now you should rest until your wound is healed and that means no killing people."

Inferno fought against the blond man's hold. "Don't order me around, Maximal!" he shouted, struggling. "I only obey the Royalties orders!"

"Well I heard Megatron say he wanted you to take it easy until your wound is healed," Cheetor informed him. "Now you can go ahead and beat up the fuzor again or you can obey your Queen and rest until you're better."

Inferno said nothing but he did stop struggling. Silverbolt shakily got to his feet, his face swollen and his white clothes stained with grease, sweat, and his and Inferno's blood. He looked Inferno in the eye then stepped away and dashed out of the room. Cheetor watched him go, wondering what had happened. He would find out later but first he had to get Inferno back onto his bed. It didn't take much effort to do so since Inferno wasn't about to disobey Megatron's orders. Once he was lying down again Cheetor left the infirmary and ran after Silverbolt, determined to get to the bottom of this.

---------------

Megatron was the only one in the control room when Dinobot entered it. He spotted the purple clad, black haired man leaning against the elevator with his arms folded, his purple tail wagging on its own accord. "Megatron," Dinobot said.

Megatron turned his head in the direction the voice had come from. When he spotted Dinobot he smiled. "Just the robot I was waiting for, yesss," he said, putting his hands on the elevator on pushing himself away from it. He turned to face the Ex-Predacon directly. "Now that you're here, I think it's about time we go and get that disc back, yess."

Dinobot said nothing as he walked toward the Predacon leader and the elevator. Without a word he stepped inside, folded his arms, and waited for Megatron to step in as well. When he did the elevator exited the _Axalon_ and it's passengers stepped out into the cool night air.

"Now," Megatron said, turning to the slightly smaller man. "Since I don't want to waste anymore time walking to the place I brought one of the hover pads for us to ride." he gestured toward the machine. "Climb on."

Dinobot did so and Megatron stepped on as well. Since the raptor humanoid knew how to work the machine he turned it on and the two headed out to the spot where he'd hidden the disc.

--------------------

"Something doesn't feel right," Terrorsaur muttered to himself. He had climbed onto the roof of the _Axalon_ to get some air and had spotted Dinobot and Megatron exit the ship and fly off together on the hover pad. "Dinobot would not willingly got anywhere with Megatron unless he had a good reason." The pterosaur humanoid put a hand to his ghostly pale face. "If I didn't know better I'd think Dinobot was back on our side."

The thought didn't seem possible but it could be true. Terrorsaur watched the hovercraft disappear over the horizon and stood. "If Dinobot is back on our side, then the only reason they would be going off together like that is to do or find something important." Terrorsaur's wings started flapping and he rose off the roof. "And the only thing that is important right now is the Golden Disc." he flew after the two. "I think I'll just follow them and see what this is about."

------------

"Call me paranoid but I got the feelin' that ol' Choppa-face is doin' somethin' dirty behind out backs," Rattrap said, leaning against the doorway to Optimus Primal's office.

The humanoid Maximal looked up at Rattrap. The smaller man's red eyes studied him intently. "Dinobot is on our side," he reminded the him. "Whatever he's doing is probably something we'll benefit from."

"I don't know about that," Rattrap said, pushing himself away from the door and walking forward, gesturing to add emphasis to his words. "Tigatron and Airazor said they saw Dino-butt and Megatron talking it up like old friends about an hour ago in the control room."

"An hour ago?" Primal asked. "That's around the time he came in here." He folded his arms. "Hmmm I wonder what they were talking about?"

"I dunno," Rattrap said. "But I get the feeling if we asked him about it he'd either deny it or avoid the question all together."

--------------------

Dinobot and Megatron touched down on the top of a mountain an hour later. As they stepped on the hovercraft Dinobot glanced up at the sky. The sun was beginning to rise on Day Three of the change. He frowned at the cosmic display and turned his attention back to Megatron who'd been watching him.

"Don't like the sunrise?" the tall man asked, smiling slightly.

Dinobot snorted in reply and headed over to the spot where he'd hidden the Golden Disc. It was a small rock overhang, shadowed from the brightening sky and out of view from above if anyone decided to fly over it. Under the overhang was a rather large stone that looked as if it belonged there, though it had been put there for one purpose only, to hide the item under it. Dinobot's blue clawed hand reached out to touch the stone but hesitated before it even grazed it. Something was holding him back from revealing the location of the disc. He froze. He wasn't sure he wanted to do this.

_No! _he shook his head. This was a bad time to change his mind. Though he was armed with his sword he'd notice Megatron had taken one of the _Axalon's_ guns from the armory. Even if the raptor did _pull_ out his sword to attack the taller man he wasn't sure he'd be fast enough to take him out before Megs pulled out that gun and shot him. _I have to do this. I do not have the time to waste holding back. I have to make him trust me. It will..._

Pushing aside any doubts he reached down and lifted the stone. Holding it up with his right hand he knelt down and pulled the disc out from under it. The weight pulled down on his arm but he forced himself to hold it up as he turned to Megatron. He stared at his organic reflection a few seconds before he held the disc out to the taller man. "Here."

Megatron took the disc and felt its weight pulling his arm down. He allowed gravity to take over and let the arm holding the disc fall to his side. "Now," he said. "Before we head back, I would like to ask you something?"

Dinobot wasn't really in the mood to answer questions but he decided to do so anyway. "What?"

"If you were going to give the disc back to me anyway, why did you steal it?"

"... I had my reasons," he said, pushing past Megatron.

Megatron watched the shorter man head back to the hovercraft. "I'm sure you did, yess."

--------------------

Terrorsaur had followed the two from the _Axalon. _When they'd reached their destination he'd hidden behind a rock so not to be seen. He watched as Dinobot had taken the Golden Disc out of its hiding spot and handed it to Megatron. "So _that's_ what they were doing," the pale skinned man whispered to himself, putting his hand to his chin thoughtfully. "But why would Dinobot steal the Golden Disc then just give it back?" he watched the two get back onto the hovercraft and fly away. "I think I'll ask him." flapping his scaled wings he flew after them.

---------------------

Inferno was bored. Though he was under orders not to exert himself until his wound was healed, his violent side was starting to get the better of him. Attacking the fuzor in white clothing had given him something to do for a little while but now that that was over he was getting restless again. On top of that, the cot he was lying on was hard as a rock and something on it was loose and digging into his spine. When he tried to change position the object poked him in the side and the stomach.

Frustrated, he sat up and glared at the offending poker. He spotted a piece of metal that had somehow gotten loose and was sticking up, the jagged end pointing toward the ceiling. Growling in anger, he slammed his fist into the object, hoping that would put the metal back into place. All that that did was hurt his hand and he hissed in pain and he pulled his now bleed appendage away from the sharp object and licked the blood from the wound.

"Stupid metal!" he shouted at the now blood red object. "When I get my flamethrower back you will buuuurn!"

"Oh give it a rest, insect," a voice said.

"Huh?" Inferno looked up. He saw Blackarachnia standing in the infirmary doorway, watching him. When their eyes met her expression turned into a smirk. "Hello," she said.

Inferno was in no mood to talk to Blackarachnia. In his slightly limited way of thinking this was her fault. To make things worse she seemed to be enjoying his rotten luck.

"You know, this never would have happened if you weren't such a lunatic," she said, folding her arms and walking up to him.

The fire ant humanoid's expression morphed into a angry scowl. "The fuzor will pay for this," he told her.

She raised an eyebrow. "Hasn't he already?" she asked, remembering how he'd looked when he'd dashed past her in the hall a few minutes ago with Cheetor right behind him. "You already put the fear of Primus into him. You don't need to kill him. He won't do it again and I doubt he'd ever want to be in the same room with you anymore."

Inferno folded his arms and swung his legs off the cot, glancing at the offending piece of metal then back at the dark haired spider woman. "And I should be _happy _with that, spider?" he asked.

She shrugged. "He said he was sorry," she informed him. "At the top of his lungs from what I gather. Just let him be. He'd not worth it."

Inferno said nothing. He thought about it. The fuzor didn't seem to be that much of a threat anymore since he'd hurt Inferno, he seemed like a wimp anyway. Killing him would be an act of mercy and would give the fire ant humanoid no satisfaction at all. "Fine," he said. "I _won't _kill him."

She smiled at him. "Good," she said, sitting down beside him but avoiding that piece of metal. "I wouldn't want the Maximals deciding you're not worth saving because you killed someone."

Infenro frowned at the black tressed woman. The last thing he needed right now was her getting on his case. "I think I want you to leave," he said.

Her smile disappeared. "What is it with you?" she demanded, getting up.

"You." he said simply.

Blackarachnia glared at him then turned on her heel and stomped out of the infirmary in a huff.

------------------

"Oh Primus, I think I'm in love," Quickstrike said when he saw Blackarachnia walk by. He waved to her, hoping to get her attention. "Hey there, sugar!" he shouted.

Blackarachnia looked over at him, her face that of one who wanted to be left alone. She saw the cowboy and her impatients went up another notch. Oh great, just what she _didn't _need. A cobra tailed cowboy with the smile of a boob. She gave him a look that said. "Don't bother me!"

Quickstrike was never good at reading facial expressions. Thinking the look meant she wanted him to talk to her, he ran over to her, his cobra tail hissing happily. "Hey there," he said, blocking her path. "I'm Quicktrike. What's your name?"

Blackarachnia glared at him and was about to tell him to buzz off when she stopped herself. Maybe she could use this guy somehow. She smiled at him and folded her arms. "I'm Blackarachnia," she said. "I've never seen you here before. Where did you come from?"

Quickstrike thought about that a moment then replied. "I plumb don't remember," he shrugged "All I knows is that I stepped out of a space ship in the middle of a desert."

"Oh," she said. "So you're a protoform."

He shrugged. "I guess," he said. He smiled again and asked. "Say do you wanna go for a walk or somethin'?"

"Sure," she replied, smiling disarmingly. "I would be _glad_ to." She took his arm and led him away.

----------------

Tarantulas didn't need to go to the Predacon base to know that everyone had gone to the Maximal base. His own lair's spy camera's had already played that message to him so he knew exactly where to go. Right now he had something else he needed to take care of and it was inside the Predacon base. Though the volcanic air was bound to do a number on his organic lungs he had to get inside and get this over with.

As he headed toward the base he noticed a flaming object shoot across the sky. Pausing, he watched the object's path as it entered the planet's atmosphere and speed toward the ground. He saw the thing crash land a good distance away. He took in the location, filed it away in his mind, and continued. He'd check out the object, which he was sure was a stasis pod, later.

Climbing down into the spot where the _Darkside _had crash landed he quickly ran over the hot black stone and into the climate controlled Predacon base. When he was sure it was safe to breathe, he took in a deep breath and sighed it out. "Okay," he said, looking both ways. "Now to get what I came for."

------------------------

Waspinator had lost track of Dinobot after the raptor had run off with the alien disc and left the green skinned young man to catch his breath. Now that he was able to breathe normally and wasn't weighed down by the alien disc, he could actually get off the ground when he tried to fly. He wound up flying aimlessly around for a few hours until he was almost run over by a hovercraft. Luckily he avoided the machine by diving out of its path then turned to watch it fly away, noticing its passengers were both Megatron and Dinobot.

"Hmmmm?" he buzzed, hovering in the air for a moment as he watched the craft disappear into the distance. "Lizard-bot and Megatron? Together? Why?" he pondered over it for a moment then a thought came to him. His fists clenched at the thought and he flew off in the opposite direction, humming in frustration.

He would have flown around aimlessly for the next ten hours if he hadn't spotted the Stasis pod falling from the sky. The sight made him stop and he stared at it, watching its course as it streaked across the sky and down to the planet's surface. He watched it crash in the nearby forest and whatever frustration he'd felt melted away as another thought came to him. _Wazzpinator find zzztazzizz pod! _he turned and started flying in the direction Dinobot and Megatron had gone. _Wazzpinator tell Megatron about zztazzizz pod. Megatron reward Wazzpinator!_

_A/N_

_I bet you can guess whose pod that is. I know I'm probably rushing things but the aliens aren't going to abduct Tigatron and Airazor and Blackarachnia isn't being mind controlled by Tarantulas. This chapter had a bit of the "Maximal no more" episode in it but also my own creativity. I don't want to wind up copying someone else. _


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Waspinator so so excited about seeing the new stasis pod that he nearly crashed as he landed near the _Axalon_. Luckily he was able to brace himself before his feet touched the ground and he landed rather smoothly, if he hadn't tripped over a rock that is. He noticed the hovercraft parked just outside the Maximal base and got confirmation about where the other Predacons were staying. The wasp humanoid hadn't been sure where the other Predacons had gotten to after the Change. He'd first gone back to the _Darkside_ but didn't find anyone there. It didn't take long for him to figure out that they might be at the other base, though he wasn't sure why yet.

"Hello!" he called out to the ship, waving his arms for attention. "Izz anyone there? Wazzpinator wantzzz in!"

-------------------

Rhinox was in the control room in his usual spot in front of the console when the computer's Sentinel went off. "Predacon signature detected."

The dark skinned man looked up from the project he'd been working on, confused. How could any signatures be detected for either side if they were all humans? Could one of the Predacons still be a robot? "Security camera's online," he said.

The console to his left blinked on and Rhinox spotted a green skinned human looking creature with wings and insect antennae and wearing black and yellow pants and a green aviation jacket with the Predacon insignia on it, waving at the base. "Hello!" the person was shouting. "Izzz anyone there?! Wazzpinator wantzzz in!"

The dark skinned human's red eyes blinked under his glasses in surprise. _Waspinator?_

Rhinox turned on the switch that activated the speaker. "What do you want, Waspinator?" he asked.

"In!" the human wasp replied. "Wazzpinator knowzz Megatron izzz in there!"

"Yes he is." Rhinox said, not lying.

"I muzzt speak with him."

"About what?"

Waspinator didn't seem to want to tell him. That just made Rhinox suspicious. "Waspinator," he said. "In case no one told you; we're in the middle of a truce right now, so whatever you tell want to tell Megatron is our business as well."

The green skinned young man still hesitated. If he told them what he'd found they'd just go out to find it themselves.

"Waspinator, I'm not going to let you in until you tell me what's going on," Rhinox threatened, feeling impatient.

The humanoid wasp hummed nervously for a moment, shifting his weight from foot to foot, then said. "Wazzpinator zaaw ztazzizz pod."

"A stasis pod!" Rhinox exclaimed. "Where?"

"Let Wazzpinator in and maybe Wazzpinator will tell you," Waspinator said, putting his hand in the pockets of his jacket.

Rhinox sighed and lowered the elevator. Waspinator waited for it to stop before he stepped on. When he did Rhinox lifted it back into the ship. Once Waspinator was in the control room the bigger man nearly tackled him the second he stepped off. "Where did you see that stasis pod?" he asked, grabbing the Predacon by the front of his aviation jacket.

"Let go of Wazzpinator!" the young man exclaimed, beating Rhinox hands off. "Wazzpinator told rhino-bot all he needzz to know."

Rhinox wasn't in the mood for Waspinator to be acting stupid or to play this kind of "We're not on the same sides so it's none of your business" game. He knew the wasp would tell Megatron the location of the pod and then all of the Preds would go off to find it without saying anything to the Maximals, truce or no truce. Not that it would do them any good. Now that the Maximals and Predacons as well as the protoforms had become humans, reprogramming them to change sides was no longer an option. Still; he figured Optimus should know and it was more their business than the Preds anyway because the pods had been their responsibility from the start.

"I won't you let go until you tell me where you saw it," he said firmly.

Waspiantor frowned at him. "Wazzpinator can't tell rhino-bot where ztazzizz pod fell," he informed him. "Wazzpinator has to zzhow where it fell."

"Then show me."

Right then Waspinator realized he had no other choice.

------------------------

Terrorsaur was ready to confront Dinobot the moment he saw him. He imagined himself grabbing the raptor by his long golden braid and yanking him backward before slamming him face first into the wall and demanding answers. Yeah that fantasy would work, if Dinobot didn't happen to be almost an entire foot taller than him as well as stronger. The most Terrorsaur could do was block his path and hope the raptor would stop before bowling him over.

He would not have to wait long. "Dinobot!" he exclaimed, spotting the blue skinned human walking down the hall toward him. "I need to talk to you."

Dinobot stopped before he even got close to Terrorsaur and glared at him. Of all the Predacons present when Dinobot defected, Terrorsaur had been the only one genuinely hurt by it. He and Terrorsaur had been pretty good friends back on Cybertron and had even gone on some double dates with some of the female Predacons that hung out at the local bar in their neighborhood. Ever since they'd arrived on Earth they'd been enemies. Terrorsaur took sick pleasure in making Dinobot miserable in battle and Dinobot couldn't say he didn't do the same thing. Right now he didn't really want to talk to the pale, slightly younger man but something told him he should.

"What do _you _want?" he asked, folding his arms as he stepped closer to his former friend and comrade.

Terrorsaur turned his red, slightly reptillian eyes on Dinobot and searched his face as he said. "I would like to know something."

"What?"

"Do you enjoy changing sides?"

Dinobot's face said more than his answer. "What do you mean by that?" he growled. "I do not know what you are talking about."

"Don't give me that!" Terrorsaur said, pointing a pale finger into Dinobot's dark blue face. "I saw you and Megatron go off on the hovecraft. I know you two went to get the Golden Disc!"

"How do you know that?" Dinobot snarled. He thought only him and Megatron knew. Had Terrorsaur been spying?

The other man's answer confirmed that. "I'm not stupid!" he informed him. "I had a hunch when I saw you two go off, so I followed you and you know what? I was _right_!"

The former Predacon tried his best to hold his temper. It wasn't any of his business. "Why were you following us?"

"Because that's how I am. I don't like Megatron hiding things from me," Terrorsaur replied, folding his arms and meeting Dinobot's angry gaze with his own. "Now answer my question. How long to you plan on being one of us this time?"

"I never was not one of you," he reminded him. "Just because I am not fighting on your side does not mean I became something else."

"Yes it _does_," Terrorsaur corrected him, angrily. "It makes you a traitor!" he shook his pointed finger in the taller man's face. "And just because you came crawling back to Megatron and gave him the Golden Disc as a peace offering doesn't mean _I'm_ going to change my mind about you! You are still a no good traitor who-"

"Enough!" Dinobot shouted, grabbing Terrorsaur's arm and yanking him upward so they were face to face. "Who are you to judge me?" he hissed. "You are constantly trying to overthrow Megatron. How am I any different?"

"Because _I_ did not change the banner I'm flying," Terrorsaur said in a dark voice.

Dinobot was about to say something but found he couldn't. Terrorsaur was right. All the time that the pale man had tried to overthrow Megatron he'd never become a Maximal. He'd only tried to kill the Maximals, and that now included Dinobot.

Without a word he let Terrorsaur go and walked away.

_That's right, _Terrorsaur thought, watching his old comrade walk off. _Walk away, like you always do.._

_-----------------_

Waspinator was able to point out the pod's location on the computers map of the area. Once he'd done that, he ran off before Rhinox could question him further. The wasp dashed down the halls of the _Axalon_, determined to find Megatron and not caring who or what he ran into on the way. He was running so fast he didn't see Airazor even when he ran into her.

"Eek!" she exclaimed, falling onto the floor.

Waspinator didn't lose momentum, or his balance. He just stepped over her shouting and flailing his arms. "MEGATRON! MEGATRON!"

"Hey!" she called after his fleeing figure. "You could have at least said sorry!"

Waspinator either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her. She glared at his green jacket covered back and stood up, brushing herself off. "Predacons," she muttered. "I wonder what was so important that he couldn't bother to watch where he was going? Or stop to apologize for that matter?"

--------------------

"What do you want, Waspinator?" Megatron demanded, glaring at the green skinned Predacon. He grabbed the smaller man's flailing arms and held him away from him. "and stop buzzing. I can't understand you!" Waspinator had nearly tackled Megatron the moment he'd seen him and had started talking so fast he sounded like he was speaking Insecticon. Megatron did not like it when the wasp did that as a robot and, now that he was human, it was even worse.

Waspinator stopped and took a deep breath before he said calmly and coherently. "Megatron, Wazzpinator hazz zzzomething to tell you."

"What?" Megatron demanded impatiently. _You'd better have a good explanation for almost running me over, yess._

"Wazzpinator zzzaw a ztazzizz pod fall out of the sky," he replied, forcing himself to speak slowly and clearly.

That got Megatron's interest. "You did?" he said, letting Waspinator's arms go. "Where?"

"Well Wazzpinator can't tell you," the green haired young man replied. "Wazzpinator will have to zzzhow you."

Megatron scowled. It was always like this with Waspinator. The wasp was never very good at giving directions. Megatron would have told Waspinator to take him there but the Predacon leader didn't have the time. He spotted Blackarachnia coming down the hall with that cowboy with the cobra tail, just then. He smirked.

"Waspinator," he said, as Blackarachnia walked by. He grabbed her by the forearm and yanked her away from the cowboy. "I want you to get that protoform. Take Blackarachnia with you."

Blackarachnia frowned at Megatron and tried to get away from him. "Why do _I_ have to go?" she demanded.

"Because I said so," he replied, pushing her toward Waspinator. "and because I'm the boss. Now go with Waspinator and find that pod!"

Blackaarchnia frowned at Megatron then looked at Waspinator. The young man's green face had turned bright red. "What?" she asked.

"N-nothing," Waspinator stammered.

"Well then let's go," she said, already starting toward the control room. "I want to get back as soon as possible."

They walked off, leaving Megatron with Quickstrike who stared after the retreating Predacons with his mouth open.

"Now why did ya have ta go and do that?" he demanded, turning his red eyes on Megatron. The cowboy's expression was that of one who had just lost his chance to go out with the cheerleader at school.

The black haired man smirked at the cowboy. "I would advice against starting anything with her," he said. "Black widows tend to be venomous."

"Ahh, what do you know?" Quickstrike demanded, putting his hands on his hips.

"More than you think," Megatron said, his voice sounding like it was full of experience. "_Much_ more than you think."

Quickstrike glared at the Predacon in purple then stalked off. Megatron's smirk turned into a gloating smile as he watched him go.

-----------------------

Rhinox found Optimus after Waspinator had charged out of the control room and told him what the Predacon had seen. "A new stasis pod," Optimus said, thoughtfully when the two came back into the control room. "Maybe this will give us an opportunity to test out those intercoms you've been working on."

"They're still in production, though," Rhinox said, pushing his glasses back up his nose and glancing at the things he'd been working on. "I'm not sure if they'll work."

"We'll just have to test them out."

Just then Cheetor and Silverbolt came into the computer room. "I don't see why you're so upset about hurting him," the blond said, looking up at the wolf eagle. "It's not like he _cares_ that you're sorry."

"I feel bad about it," Silverbolt replied, his shoulders and wings drooping. "He seems so delicate and well..."

"Inferno_ delicate_?" Cheetor exclaimed, surprised that a word like that would be used to describe the pyromaniac. "Just because Inferno's human body makes him _look _like a girl doesn't mean he's delicate. He's still the same old lunatic."

"I still had no right to harm him!"

Optimus shook his head. Hopefully the new protoform wouldn't wind up like Silverbolt. The man in white's constant guilt about hurting Inferno was beginning to come off as annoying. Maybe he needed something to distract himself.

"Cheetor, Silverbolt," the Maximal leader said, turning to the other Maximals. "I need you to do something for me."

The two stopped talking and looked over at the dark haired man. "What is it, Big bot?" Cheetor asked.

"Waspinator told Rhinox that he saw a stasis pod land nearby," Optimus replied. "I need you two to go check it out."

"Sure thing Big Bot," Cheetor said, happy to be doing something. He started toward the elevator."C'mon, Bolt." he said, looking over his shoulder.

Silverbolt didn't move. "Are you sure you want me to go?" Silverbolt asked Optimus. "I might accidently kill it. I think it's best if I stayed here."

That was the last thing Optimus wanted him to do. He didn't need the winged man moping around the base. "No, I think it's best if you went," he said firmly. He held out something to him and Cheetor. "And take these with you so we can talk to you."

Cheetor stared at the intercoms. "Ultra gear," he said, taking one and putting it on. "But where did they come from?"

"Rhinox made them," Optimus said.

"Cool." Cheetor said, smiling with pleasure.

Rhinox smiled and Optimus said. "I think you two had better be going."

Cheetor nodded and grabbed Silverbolt's arm. "Let's go," he said, dragging him toward the elevator before he could protest further.

--------------------

"Will you stop staring at me like that!" Blackarachnia ordered as she and Waspinator headed to the control room.

"Zzzzzorry," Waspinator said, blushing. "Wazzpinator never saw Spider-bott azz a fleshy-bot before."

"Well don't get used to it," she told him angrily, not sure why he was even going loopy over her new look anyway. Did he have a secret crush on humans? "Hopefully we won't stay this way for much longer."

"Wazzpinator thinkzz zzpider-bot izz pretty thizzz way," he said, smiling.

"Oh and what did you think of me before?" she asked, turning to him and putting her hands on her hips.

Waspinator didn't seem ready to answer that. "Uh..."

"Nevermind," she cut him off before he could answer. "It's not important. Let's just go and get that pod before the Maximals do..." she stepped into the control room and saw Rhinox and Optimus Primal standing in there. They looked up from what they were doing when they heard her and the wasp enter. "Uh... Hi." she said nervously.

"Hello," Optimus said. He noticed her start inching toward the elevators. "Going somewhere?"

"Just out," she answered, grabbing Waspinator's arm to get him moving. "For a walk with Waspinator."

Optimus raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you and Waspinator do anything together?" he asked.

"Since about ten minutes ago," she said, quickly inching toward the elevator. Once inside she waved to them as the machine went outside. "See you later, Maximals!"

When they were gone Rhinox looked at Optimus. "What do you think?' he asked.

Optimus put his hand on his forehead and pushed back his ebony hair. "It's obvious where they're about to go," he said. "And because of the truce I can't stop them. Let's just hope they don't do anything to Silverbolt and Cheetor when they get there."

------------------

"LET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Inferno kicked at the door to the infirmary. After the fight he'd gotten into with Silverbolt and when Blackarachnia left, the Maximals had decided it would be best to keep the fire ant in the room until he was better. The only way to do that was lock him in. Rattrap had commented that they should tie him to his bed as well so he won't be able to move around but Optimus had told him to shut up. Megatron had agreed to locking him in the infirmary without telling Inferno. Because of this, the fire ant thought the Maximals were holding him prisoner.

"Release me at once!" he shouted, kicking at the door again. "Release me or burrn!"

Terrorsaur, who was still upset about his encounter with Dinobot, happened to be in the hall just outside the door. Hearing Inferno freak out about nothing gave him a sick pleasure and he held back a snicker. _Take that, you suck up! That'll teach you to cook my tail! _To make things even funnier, Scorponok, who was walking down the hall from the other direction, was staring google eyed at the infirmary door.

"What in Cybertron is _wrong_ with him now?" the scorpion human in gray asked out loud.

Terrorsaur chuckled and walked up to Scorponok. The red head noticed Scorponok had put his yellow tinted sunglasses back on. "The Maximals locked him in there," he replied. "I saw Tigatron do it."

Scorponok stared at him, his yellow eyes growing in size. "Why did they do that?" he demanded.

"Because they don't want him coming out until he's better," Terrorsaur replied, folding his arms and smirking. "What's that face for?" he asked. "Megatron gave them permission."

Scorponok blinked and his sunglasses slipped down his nose. "He _did_?" he asked, pushing them back up. He sounded surprised that Megatron would allow them to do such a thing.

Terrorsaur nodded. "Uh huh," he said. "So you don't need to start whining to Megatron."

"I wasn't going to go whining to Megatron!" Scorponok exclaimed.

"Well there's no need to shout." Terrorsaur said walking past him. "I can hear you just fine."

"LET ME OUT OR BURN!"

Scorponok looked back at the infirmary. For a second he debated whether to go in and try to calm Inferno down or just keep walking. He chose to keep walking. When Inferno was like this it was best to ignore him until he calmed down. Besides, Scorponok was secretly enjoying this. It would serve the pyromania right for trying to steal his rank from him.

-----------------------

The stasis pod turned out to be the biggest one Cheetor had ever seen. It was black and shiny and the lid had a giant X on it. It was also nestled in a huge pile of Energon so he didn't want to get too close, even in his current form.

"Uh, Big Bot," Cheetor said into his intercom. "We found the pod but there's something strange about it."

"What would that be?" Optimus said through the ear piece.

"This pod is a lot bigger than the other ones I've seen and it's got a giant X on the lid," the young man explained. Silence on the other end. "Big bot?" he said uncertainly.

"I'm still here," Optimus replied.

Cheetor sensed something wrong. "What is it?" he asked.

"Did you say that the pod has a big X on the lid?" the Maximal leader asked.

"Yes," the blond replied, stepping closer for a better look. "Why? What does it mean?"

"You don't want to get too close," Optimus warned. "It might still be alive."

Cheetor sense Optimus was dodging his question. "What is it?" he asked again.

"An experiment gone wrong," Optimus replied after another moment of silence.

Cheetor's eyes grew wide and he noticed Silverbolt's, who was listening on the other intercom, eyes go wide as well. "A science experiment?" he asked. "What do you mean?"

"Do you remember Starscream?"

Of course Cheetor did. Starscream's spark had possessed Waspinator awhile back before the Change and had caused trouble for both Maximal and Predacon alike. "Yes," he replied. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"Well... The Maximal elders tried to copy the mutation in Starscream's immortal spark," Optimus explained. "the result was less than successful."

"What do you mean?"

"The specimen they used went crazy and killed many transformers," Optimus replied. "They had to lock it into that stasis pod." Cheetor heard him sigh. "We were supposed to drop it off on a deserted planet."

"So much for that," Cheetor said, staring at the pod. "I just hope whatever it was is dead."

"I hope so too," Optimus said, though he didn't sound like he believed that. That was just wishful thinking. Bad things tended to be hard to get rid of.

"If it _is_ dead what are we going to do about the body?" Cheetor asked. "I mean, if it's organic like us now we can't just let it set here and decay."

"I don't know," Optimus said after a moment. "We could just bury the pod where it is..."

"What should I do in the mean time?"

"Just leave it alone," Optimus replied.

"Okay, Big bot," he said.

"I'll see you when you get back," Optimus said and cut the link.

Silverbolt met Cheetor's eyes when the younger man looked at him. "Why would someone want to do such a thing?" he asked, sounding horrified by what Optimus had said.

Cheetor shook his head. He didn't know and maybe it was best to leave it at that. "Big Bot can probably explain it better in person," he replied, looking at the pod then back at the man in white. "There doesn't seem to be anything we can do here. Let's go."

"You're not going _anywhere_!" a voice said.

Cheetor and Silverbolt looked over their shoulders. Behind them stood the humanized Blackarachnia and a green skinned young man who could only be Waspinator. Blackarachnia had her hands on her hips and was giving them a look. "What do you two want?" Cheetor demanded, frowning at her.

"What _else_ would we want?" she said as if the answer was obvious. "We want that pod."

"Why?" Cheetor asked. "The thing inside is probably dead anyway."

She scowled at him as she stepped forward. Waspinator followed close behind but glanced around nervously. "I find that hard to believe," she told him. "I think you're lying just so that you can take it away."

Cheetor folded his arms and met her eyes. "Why would I want to do that?" he asked. "And you can't reprogram it anyway even if you did get your hands on it."

"So?" she said, annoyed, brushing back a strand of long black hair. "I _still _want it."

"You mean _Megatron_ wants it." the cheetah humanoid corrected her.

"So what?" she asked then noticed Silverbolt gaping at her. "And what are _you _staring at?" she demanded, looking at the wolf eagle.

"I- uh, nothing," he said, stepping back.

She shook her head. "What's with you guys?" she asked the air. "It's not like you haven't seen me before."

Cheetor cocked his head, confused. "Excuse me?" he said.

She waved him off. "Forget it," she said. "Just hand over the stasis pod."

"Forget it," Cheetor said. "You tell Megatron that if he wants this stasis pod he has to come get it himself. Besides, we're in the middle of a truce. So even if we did hand it over you'd just have to take it to the _Axalon_ anyway."

She glared at him then stepped forward. "Just hand it over," she said.

"No," Cheetor said, blocking her path.

She glared at him with angry dark eyes. "Don't make me hurt you," she said in a dark voice.

Cheetor wasn't intimidated. He held his ground. "Don't make me hurt you," he told her.

Her leg came out of nowhere. It hit him in a spot between his legs and he slumped to the ground, agony all over his face.

_A/N_

_My head hurts and I can't think of anything else right now. I'll try to update again really quickly but this is it for now. I hope everyone was in character and... thanks for the reviews so far!_


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Blackarachnia watched Cheetor withering on the ground, her face full of surprise. She hadn't expected to hurt him that much but she figured that must be a delicate area if it got him to do that_. I'll have to remember that spot,_ she thought, smirking.

"Cheetor!" Silverbolt exclaimed, staring at the young man in horror. "Are you all right?"

She looked up at him and he caught her gaze. He took a step back when she stepped toward him. "Now there's no need for us to fight," he said, putting up his hands. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You _hurt_ me?" she asked then laughed mockingly. "I don't think so." she put her hand on her hip and pointed into his face. "Now, if you don't want me to to do you what I did to the kid, I would advice you to step aside."

He pulled out his spear and pointed it at her. "I'm sorry," he said, sounding like he really meant it. "But I can't let you pass."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" she said, eyeing him. "And what you are going to do about it? Stab me?" she smirked, remembering what he had done to Inferno. "I don't think you want to."

No Silverbolt did _not _want to hurt her. For one thing she was female, for another... "Can't we talk this out?" he asked. The expression on her face told him her answer louder than any words. "I guess not."

"No duh," she said, raising her gun. "Now we do this the easy way or the hard way." she raised an eyebrow. "Which will it be?"

--------------------------------------------------

Tarantulas had left the Predacon base in a very bad mood. Someone had gotten to the files he'd wanted first and had destroyed the computer they were on after they'd take and deleted them from the main frame. He wasn't sure who had done it but he had an idea. "When I get my hands on that treacherous female she's going to wish she never stole those files!" he growled to himself as he stalked through the rocky landscape around the base.

But, before he dealt with Blackarachia, he decided to check on that stasis pod he'd seen fall from the sky. Though he couldn't reprogram the protoform because of the change, he might be able to find some other use for it anyway. Maybe he could use the empty pod to create an escape ship and get off the planet.

When he arrived at the spot he was more than a little surprised to see two Maximals and Waspinator and Blackarachnia already there. _How did they find out about it? _he wondered, quietly sneaking closer. _Well since that witch is here I won't have to look for her later on. I can just get what I need from her now... tehehehehe._

_--------------------------_

"Look I'm not going to let you get too close to this pod," Silverbolt said, still standing between Blackarachnia and the Protoform X stasis pod. He gripped his spear in sweaty hands. He didn't want to use it again but, if he had to, he would. He just wished it wouldn't be on a woman."You don't know what's in there. "

"I will once I get to see it," she said impatiently. "Now move aside!"

Silverbolt was about to reply but suddenly someone in a green lab coat lunged out of the shadows and grabbed ahold of Blackarachnia. She screamed in shock and tried to break lose. The person in the coat pinned her arms behind her and held her against himself. He said into her ear. "Hello, my sweet."

The woman turned her head slightly and glared at the person holding her. "Let me go, Tarantulas!" she ordered.

"Not until you tell me what you did with the files you stole from Megatron's computer," he replied through clenched teeth.

"I don't know what you're _talking_ about," she snapped, still squirming.

"Don't lie to me, witch," he growled. "I know you took them. Nobody else is sneaky enough to steal those files."

"Nobody but _you," _she retorted.

"Well _I _didn't take them," he growled. "So that means _you _did and I want them."

"What for?" she asked, not understanding why he was making such a fuss over the files. Did he know something about them she didn't? "What could you possibly want them for?"

"That is none of your concern!" he snapped.

"Excuse me," a voice said.

Tarantulas looked up from the black haired woman and stared at the speaker. Now who was this? Some new Maximal? If it was it was the strangest one he'd ever seen. Long black hair, yellow eyes, tanned skin and white clothing. What made him even weirder looking were the eagle wings and the wolf ears and tail. _What in the Pit?_

"This doesn't concern you, freak," Tarantulas said, pointing into the other man's face.

"That may be so," Silverbolt said walking forward. "But _I _for one find the way you're treating her utterly unacceptable."

"And what do you plan on doing about it?" the tarantula humanoid demanded.

"This." Silverbolt replied, before he punched the magenta haired Predacon in the face.

"Gah!" Tarantulas exclaimed, letting go of Blackarachnia and stepping backward, his hands over his face.

Silverbolt stepped toward him and hit him again. "I don't care if that's the way you Predacons deal with each other-." an elbow in the chin "-That is not the way you act toward or handle a lady-" a kick to the stomach. "-and if you do it again while I'm around-" another punch to the face. "-I'm going to do the exact same thing to you-" a knee to the groin. "-I'm doing now!"

Tarantulas fell to the ground in great pain, his arms wrapped around his stomach. He saw a boot come down in his line of sight and looked up to see Silverbolt standing over him, his hands on his hips and an angry expression on his dark face. "Now," Siverbolt said. "since we have that over with, I hope to see you treating her with more respect from now on."

Tarantulas opened his mouth to speak but someone's gun went off and the charge hit the Energon crystals underneath the X stasis pod.

Everyone looked at Waspinator. "Waspinator!" Blackarachnia exclaimed.

"Noooo!" he exclaimed, putting up his hands. "It wazzzn't Wazzpinator! Wazzpinator didn't even bring a weapon!"

"Then who did?!" Blackarachnia demanded, staring at the charging up energon crystals. "Of Primus! It's going to explode! Let's get out of here!"

Cheetor got off the ground and made a move to get out of the way. He was too slow and he, the other four, and the stasis pod wound up being sent flying when the explosion destroyed the energon crystals, the rocks in the area, and everything else within a mile radius.

---------------------------

"And I _refuse_ to share a room with any of those stinkin' Preds!" Rattrap angrily stated to Optimus Primal. He slapped his hands down hard on the oval table in the control room. "Do ya hear me?!"

The Maximal leader peeked through his fingers at the rat humanoid. Rattrap's slightly pale face was scrunched up in a angry expression, his red eyes saying more than his face. Optimus' impatients went up a notch. The Maximal leader had a massive headache thanks to the pile of static that had greeted him when he'd turned on the comlink to get in contact with Cheetor and Silverbolt and Rattraps complaining wasn't helping it. Aside from having the headache, he was worried and now wasn't the time for this kind of discussion. "Not now, Rattrap," he said with exaggerated patients, as he rubbed his temples. "I have other things on my mind right now."

Rattrap cocked his head, his red eyes curious. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," the dark haired man replied, dropping his hands. "It might not be anything."

"What?"

Optimus decided to explain some of the situation to the rat. "I sent Cheetor and Silverbolt out to get a look at a stasis pod Waspinator saw fall close by," he replied. "And I haven't heard anything from them since they got there..."

"You think something happened to them?" Rattrap asked, putting his hands on his hips. Now _he_ was starting to feel worried. "Do you want me and Chopper-face to go look for them?"

"You and Dinobot wouldn't get there fast enough," Optimus answered. "These new bodies of ours aren't very fast."

"Aren't very fast?" Rattrap asked. "Tell that to Spots. He might be human now but he's still the fastest one here."

"Still," Optimus said. "The only person I could send is Airazor."

"Then send her," the shorter man encouraged. "It's not like the protoform attacked them."

"..."

Rattrap looked at him curiously. Why hadn't he said anything when he'd said that. It had only been a joke. "Hey, I'm kiddin'," he said.

"I'll send her," Optimus decided, ignoring Rattrap's comment. "Go find her and tell her I want her."

Rattrap saluted a little sarcastically then left the control room to search for Airazor, feeling like he'd been left out of something. All well.. He just hoped the bird girl and Tigatron hadn't gone off somewhere together like they usually did. He'd seen her about an hour ago but that didn't mean she was still around. She could have gone flying. She might have looked like a human but she still had her wings.

"Hey, bird lady," he said, poking his head into her room a minute later. Luckily she was in there, otherwise he would have felt stupid. "The Big Banana wants to speak to you. He's in the control room."

Airazor, who was running her fingers through her tangled, short, brown hair while sitting on her cot, turned her head and said. "I'll be right there." then got off her bed and stepped toward the doorway.

Rattrap moved out of the way so she could exit. "So what does he want me for?" the bird girl asked, as she and Rattrap walked back to the control room.

"It seems he can't get in contact of Cheetor and the bird-dog and he's gettin' worried," the short man replied, looking up at her. "He wants you to go to the area where that stasis pod fell and see if they're okay."

Airazor's face became worried. "Do you know what happened?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I don't have a clue," he answered, spreading out his hands. "You'll have to ask _him_."

Terrorsaur, who happened to be walking in the opposite direction, happened to overhear them. He stopped walking and turned around. "A stasis pod?" he said curiously.

The two Maximals stopped and looked back at him. "Yes," Airazor replied. "Another stasis pod fell and Cheetor and Silverbolt went to check on it."

"Megatron sent Blackarachnia and Waspinator to check on a stasis pod an hour ago," he said, frowning.

Rattrap didn't like what that implied and got the wrong idea. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted you Preds," he said, walking up to Terrorsaur and pointing at his face. "If your buddy's did anythin' to my friends I'll-"

"Hold it, Rattrap," Airazor said, stepping between them. "Just because they went to check on the stasis pod too doesn't mean that they did anything. " she looked from one man to the other. "We're in the middle of a truce. I don't think they'd do anything to break it. Not without Megatron telling them to anyway." she looked at Terrorsaur. "Did Megatron tell them to attack anyone that might be at the pod if they got there first?"

"I don't know," he replied, looking at her and shaking his head. "I don't think so."

"Maybe we should ask him," Rattrap said, putting his hands on his hips.

"You can't," the pale man said.

"Why not?"

"He's not here right now."

"Where'd he go?"

"I don't know. He doesn't tell me anything."

"Why not?"

"Because he doesn't trust me."

Airazor shook her head. "Well if he's not here there's nothing we can do about it." she looked at Rattrap. "I think I'd better be going."

He nodded.

"Where are you going?" Terrosaur asked, keeping in step behind them as they walked away.

"None of your business," Rattrap snapped.

"It _does_ if it involves going to that area," he informed them. "If anything happened to your comrades then that means something might have happened to mine as well." he smirked. "I know Megatron would want someone to go with you to make sure you don't try anything to break the truce."

Rattrap looked over his shoulder and glared at the man with with red hair. "That is something only a Pred would do."

Terrorsaur' kept smirking. "and that's I should go with."

-------------------------

Silverbolt and Blackarachnia wound up being thrown in the same direction when the Energon crystals exploded. They'd both landed in a swampy area a good distance away from the area they'd been at before. Silverbolt had hit his head when they'd landed and was knocked unconscious for a few seconds. Blackarachnia had a slightly better landing, the streamer things on her arms allowing her to grab onto something before she hit the ground. As Silverbolt sat up, shaking the stars out of his vision, the black haired woman brushed herself off. When she heard him groan she looked over at him, only then realizing that they'd landed together. She stared at him a moment, noticing his white clothing was covered in mud and his wings looked terrible, some of the white feathers were falling onto the ground around him.

He opened his eyes and looked over at her. He saw her tense as he stood up but kept a pretty good distance from her. He saw her black and yellow skin tight clothing was ripped in a few areas and she had scratches on her face. The orange streamer things on her arms were the only things on her that didn't look like anything had happened to them. He was about to ask if she was okay when she suddenly pulled out a gun. He gasped and put up his hands, realizing he's lost his spear in the explosion.

"Now, there's no need for that," he said nervously. "We're in the middle of a truce, remember?"

She sighed as the truth of his words sunk in. She lowered her gun. "You're right," she said. "By the way," she added, eying him. "Can you fly?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked.

"Because you have wings and I don't feel like walking," she replied, rubbing at a bruise on her cheek. "if you can fly you can give me a lift."

"I can try," he said looking back at his wings. He tried to flap them but they did nothing, they just hung limply. He looked back at her, embarrassed. "I cannot."

She sighed with annoyance. "Why am I not surprised?" she said.

He looked away. "I am sorry," he said and really meant it.

"You don't have to apologize," she said. "I wouldn't be in this predicament if someone hadn't of shot that stasis pod and its Energon garden!" she put her hands on her hips and glared at nothing. "Slag, now I'm going to have to walk."

"I could carry you," he suggested, trying to be helpful.

She looked up at him. For a moment she considered letting him then shook her head. "Thanks but I'll walk."

"All right, if you're sure," he said.

"I am," she said, annoyed.

"Okay," he said. "Then let us be going."

"Whatever," she said.

-------------------------

Tarantulas had a rather rough landing compared to Blackarachnia and Silverbolt's. He managed to get scratched up in more places than his face and when he hit the ground something in his leg snapped and he fell to the ground, curled up in pain. When the pain subsided he forced himself to sit up and look around. It was either starting to get dark or the trees were blocking the light, thus interfering with his view. Either way, the forest was covered in shadows and he couldn't see very far. Squinting, he forced himself to stand by leaning against the tree he'd landed by. He was able to stand but when he tried to walk his leg gave out but he grabbed onto a tree branch and stopped himself from falling.

_Where am I? How am I going to get out of here if I can't walk?_

He wouldn't have to worry about that for very long.

A sudden shuffling sound made him tense. His breath beginning to speed up, he looked around himself cautiously. He didn't see anything but he _sensed_ some kind of presence nearby. He didn't know what it could be though and that was not a comforting thought...

----------------------------

_Fear... I sense someone's fear... It's close. Very close... delicious..._

-----------------------

"He...hello?" Tarantuals called out quietly, a chill beginning to run down his spine. He wasn't used to this sort of thing. Usually _he _was the predator but he had the feeling something out there was stalking him...Something... that shouldn't be there.. Something evil...

That's when he noticed the stasis pod. It lay between two trees ten feet from where he was standing. He stared at it open mouthed. The lid had become detached and the interior of the pod was empty.

"Wha-"

A twig snapped loudly close by. He instantly took his eyes off the pod and looked around. Nothing. Nobody. Only seeping darkness. That just made him more uneasy. Tarantulas didn't know about Protoform X but he guessed whatever was out there was either the protoform or some kind of animal. He just hoped it wasn't the type of animal that ate meat._ It had better be the protoform... _but that thought didn't make him feel any better.

"Hello?" he called, looking around himself. "Who's there?"

Another twig snapping, this one behind him. An involuntary gasp escaped his throat and he turned around. A shadow fell over him and he found himself staring into a face darkened by shadows with glowing green eyes. The only other thing he saw on the face was a white, evil smile.

"Hello..." a creepy sounding voice said, as a hand reached out to grab the scientist by the collar of his torn lab coat. "You shouldn't be out here by yourself." the hand grabbed the coat and pulled Tarantulas forward. He was now face to face with the shadow. "Who knows what kind of monsters could be lurking about."

--------------------------------------

Silverbolt and Blackarachnia stopped in their tracks when a scream split the air.

"That sounded like Tarantulas!" Blackarachnia exclaimed, her dark eyes growing wide.

"It sounds like he ran into something," Silverbolt said, his face becoming worried and slightly scared. "Something horrible."

"What?" she asked, looking at him, her dark eyes wide.

The man in white shook his head. "I'm not sure," he replied. "But that explosion could have sent him and that stasis pod in the same direction. He might have wound up in the same area."

"So?" she asked, eyeing the wolf eagle. "You said the protoform was dead."

"I _didn't_ say that," he corrected her. "Cheetor did. I have a feeling that thing isn't dead after all."

"What thing?"

"The creature in the pod," he replied. "It wasn't a protoform. It was something a lot more dangerous."

Blackarachnia's eyes grew large. "Why didn't you _say _anything before?" she asked.

"Would it have mattered?" he asked, looking down at her. "All you cared about was taking the pod and doing who knows what with it. How could I have said _anything_?"

She had no answer.

"But," Silverbolt went on, looking away from her and in the direction the scream had come from. "I think we'd better help Tarantulas before that thing kills him." he took a step toward where the sound had come from. "Come on."

She didn't move.

He stopped and looked at her curiously. She explained. "Why should I help Tarantulas?" she asked. "If I was in trouble he wouldn't help me."

"If you help him that would make you the better person," he replied, patiently. "And I for one will not stand by and let that monster kill anyone, even if it _is _Tarantulas. Besides." he turned back to her. "When he's done with him, what makes you think he won't come after one of us next?"

"If you put it that way," she began, walking forward and in the same direction. "I _have _to help him."

The wolf eagle smiled.

----------------

Optimus Primal did not argue when Terrorsaur insisted that he go with Airazor. The Maximal leader knew that two of the Predacons had also gone out to investigate the new pod and figured he'd better let the red haired Predacon go to keep things peaceful between both sides. Optimus would have insisted on going as well but his new body didn't have that flying ability he was used to and Airazor wasn't strong enough to carry him so he was grounded. Airazor and Terrorsaur had had alternate forms with wings and they still had them, even in their new bodies.

"Just be careful," he called to them as they flew out of the opening in the roof.

"Don't worry," Airazor called down to him. "We will!"

The two headed away from the _Axalon_ and toward the area Rhinox had shown them on the map. Airazor wasn't sure what they'd find there but she hoped it wouldn't be anything unexpected. She noticed Terrorsaur staring at her and turned her head. "What?" she asked.

"Why do I get the feeling your leader is hiding something from us?" he asked.

"He's not," she said, looking away. "Why would he hide anything from us?"

He smirked at her. "You tell me."

She stopped and turned around to face him, her gloved hands resting on her hips. She blocked him so he couldn't fly past her. "What do you want me to say?" she demanded. "That I know something about this when I don't? All that I know is that Cheetor and Silverbolt haven't contacted us and Optimus is worried."

Terrorsaur folded his arms and cocked his head, his eyes searching. "And you're satisfied with that?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, frowning. "Why _shouldn't _I be?"

"Because he _could _be lying."

"He has no reason to lie," she retorted. "Besides, Waspinator was the one who spotted the pod in the first place."

He took in that piece of news with no reaction. Airazor waited for him to say something. He didn't. She sighed and turned around. They resumed flying, only this time in silence.

--------------------------

It was almost completely dark by the time Silverbolt and Blackarachnia reached the spot where they thought the scientist's scream had come from. The area seemed deserted aside from some insects flying around. "Tarantulas!" Silverbolt called, as he and Blackarachnia slowly and cautiously walked through the darkening woods. "Tarantulas, if you can hear me, say something."

"I don't think he's here," Blackarachina said, rubbing her arms as a sudden chill fell over her. "I wish I wasn't. This place is giving me the creeps. I don't think he's-" she stopped in her tracks and gasped.

Silverbolt, who was walking behind her, almost walked into her when she stopped. He stopped before he did. "What?" he asked, looking down at her.

She put her hand over her mouth and pointed ahead and up. He followed her finger and then spotted what she'd spotted. His mouth hung open.

In a tree, a few feet away from where they stood, was Tarantulas, hanging upside down and looking like he'd been in fight with a lawn mover. His arms hung limply over his head.

"By the Matrix..." Silverbolt said, too shocked to say anything else. He suddenly felt far less confident than he had only seconds before.

_A/N_

_They shall encounter Rampage in the next chapter. I hope this was okay. _


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Tarantuals!" Blackarachnia exclaimed, staring at the bloody and beaten scientist in shock and horror. "What happened to him?"

"I don't know," Silverbolt said also staring at the scientist. "but I think I have a guess."

"What?" she asked, tearing her eyes away from the bloody body and resting them on Silverbolt's slightly tanned face.

"Protoform X."

Blackarachnia slowly turned around to face him. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were filled with horror. "I-" she began. "I'm getting out of here!" she made a move to run.

"Wait!" he exclaimed, grabbing her shoulder to stop her. "We can't just leave Tarantulas like that! He could still be alive!"

"I don't care!" she exclaimed, hugging herself against a sudden chill. She suddenly got a really bad feeling about this place. "I have to get out of here!"

"But, but but!"

"If you want to take Tarantulas out of that tree, go ahead," she said, turning around and pointing. "But I'm not about to stay here any longer and end up like that!"

She had a point there, but, Silverbolt looked back at Tarantulas' body, he couldn't just leave the man there to die. "Maybe he went somewhere else," he suggested, hopefully.

"I'm not going to take that chance," she said, jerking her arm out of his grip. "And let go of me!"

"Not until you-"

A noise in the brush cut him off. He stopped talking and looked toward the sound. Because it was so dark he saw nothing but shadows. He'd never been in this area before so he didn't know if all the shadows belonged there or not. Some of them seemed out of place but he couldn't tell.

The spider lady had also heard the noise."What was that?" Blackarachnia asked, her voice getting quiet.

"I don't know," he replied in an equally low voice. "Maybe it was nothing."

"It didn't _sound_ like nothing," she whispered.

Silverbolt squinted, trying to get a better view. The darkness was too thick and squinting just made it seem even darker.

"Maybe you're right," he said in a voice that was barely audible. "Maybe we should get out of here."

"What about Tarantulas?" she asked.

He glanced back at the scientist. "Maybe he'll be okay," he said, his voice beginning to quiver as his breathing sped up. "Maybe we can have Rhinox or someone come back later and get him..."

She nodded slowly, her senses on alert. She was starting to feel even more creeped out and a strange feeling was coming over her skin. She rubbed her arms and stepped forward. Silverbolt followed only a few steps behind, constantly looking over his shoulder for the unseen threat. Somehow stepping further away from the spot didn't make him feel any safer. He got the feeling something was stalking them. He began to remember the words Optimus had said to Cheetor earlier._ "It went insane... It killed a whole space colony with its bare hands..." _he shivered. That was not a comforting thought. He looked ahead of them and noticed they were walking toward a blind corner. His uneasiness went up another notch.

"I think we should avoid this area," he said.

She looked back at him. "Why?" she wanted to know.

He pointed ahead. She turned her head around and spotted what he'd spotted. The blind corner created by a large pile of rocks. She froze. She didn't say it out loud but she sensed something was over there. Her hands uneasily began to reload her weapon. "We _have_ to go that way," she told him. "It's the only way out of here."

"How do you know?"

"I've been here before."

"Oh."

She raised her gun and they started ahead. Silverbolt began wishing he hadn't of dropped his spear. If they ran into that thing and Blackarachnia could do nothing to it, he wouldn't be able to help her. Hopefully that wouldn't happen.

They'd almost reached the spot when something stepped out of the shadows and blocked their path. Blackarachnia and Silverbolt stopped in their tracks and stared up at the figure, the darkness making it look a lot bigger. Two green, glowing eyes were the only things they saw. The figure stepped toward them.

Blackarachnia raised her gun at it. "Don't come any closer!" she ordered, her voice growing in pitch though she tried her best to control it. "Stay back!"

The thing laughed strangely and suddenly the gun was no longer in her hands. Blackarachnia stared at her empty palms and looked up at the shadow in horror. The laughter increased as the shadow loomed over her. When it reached out a hand as if to grab her, she screamed and ran. Silverbolt watched her go then looked up at the shadow. It locked eyes with him and made a move toward him.

Before he knew what was happening his feet left the ground.

-----------------------------------------------

Terrorsaur and Airazor found the spot on the map where the pod had fallen but didn't see their comrades. They _did_ see evidence of a recent explosion but no Maximal's, Predacons, and no stasis pod. Airazor looked around herself, taking in the damaged landscape. "What happened?" she asked, her eyes wide. "Where is everyone?"

Terrorsaur also took in the damage until his red eyes stopped on what looked like fragments of Energon. "I think I know," he replied, walking over to spot and kneeling down. He picked up an Energon fragment and showed it to her. "I think I know what happened." he stood up and walked over to her, holding up the fragment. "Something caused these Energon crystals to explode."

The bird girl stared at the fragment with her mouth open. An Energon explosion wouldn't do much to them if they had been robots but, now that they had humans forms, it could be a whole lot worse. She tried to say something but nothing came out. She took the shard out of his hand and looked around herself for a moment. "What am I going to tell Optimus?" she asked herself out loud.

Terrorsaur thought she was talking to him. He shrugged. "You could tell him they got blown up."

She stared at him in horror. "I _can't _tell him that!" she exclaimed, dropping the fragment on the ground.

"You can, if it's the truth."

"We're not sure it _is_."

He frowned at her. "What do you suggest we do then?" he asked, folding his arms. "Look for body parts?"

"We can look for _something_," she said, ignoring the body part comment. "After all; it's not just my comrades that this happened to. I'm sure you wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Waspinator. He _is _your best friend after all."

Terrorsaur said nothing. True, he was worried about Waspinator. The wasp was about the only person he was friends with anymore, now that Dinobot had defected to the Maximals. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he was concerned for his friend's well being. "Fine," he said. "I am worried about Waspinator. He's had enough bad luck as a robot, he doesn't need anymore as a human." he unfolded his arms and refolded them. "He'd better not be dead."

"What about Blackarachnia?"

"What about her?" he asked, giving her an impatient look. "She's Tarantulas' love interest. I don't care one bit about her."

"Really?" she asked.

"Really."

She chuckled as something funny came to her.

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't think you were the type to swing that way."

"What?" he got what she was saying. "Waspinator and I are wing mates and best friends, Airazor. We don't go beyond that."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I was joking."

"It wasn't funny."

"Sorry."

He didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Let's just look for them," he said, turning away from her.

She sighed. "I didn't mean anything by it," she said then followed him back into the sky. "You didn't have to get so touche."

----------------------------

Silverbolt felt his breathing being cut off by a giant hand. He struggled to get free as the shadow pulled his face toward its own and locked eyes with him. For some reason the sight of those cold green eyes sent chills up and down his spine. An unexplainable fear began to rise up in him and the creature noticed.

"Is that fear I sense in you?" the creepy voice asked, smiling and showing off razor sharp teeth. "My essense feeds on fear."

Silverbolt tried to speak but the hand around his throat kept him for doing so. The only sound that came out was a gurgle. The creature laughed and shoved him into the trunk of a tree. He grunted in pain at the impact. The thing laughed and did it again, enjoying his pain.

Blackarachnia stopped running and looked over her shoulder when she heard Silverbolt's pained yelp. She saw the white clothed man being pounded against a tree. If the thing kept that up, he'd be killed. She froze, trying to decide what to do. She could just let the thing kill Silverbolt but she knew if he did he'd just come after her next. She could just run but something stopped her. She didn't want to.

She looked around and spotted her gun lying on the ground by a tree.

Keeping an eye on the shadow and its victim, she crept over to the spot and grabbed up her gun. She raised it, aimed at the thing's head, and fired. The shot hit the thing in the head. He grunted and let Silverbolt go, turning around and spotting her with her gun. Growling, it stalked over to her.

Still holding her gun, the spider girl made full use of the sticky, half alive, streamers on her arms and climbed up the tree she'd been standing in front of. The thing stopped under the tree and glared up at her. She crouched on a thick branch, her gun in hand and aimed down at the shadow. "Don't make me shoot you," she shouted down at it.

The thing laughed at her empty threat and punched the tree. The trunk swayed from side to side and she had to grab onto it to keep from falling. She stared down at the monster, her face losing any confidence she had. _What __**is **__this thing? _she wondered. _Did it even go through the change we went through? Could it still be a robot?_

The thing sensed her fear and laughed at her, its eyes still locked on hers. "Not so confident now are you, my dear?" It hit the tree again. "Why don't you come down and we can play another game." another punch. The tree began to sway worse and she started to get the feeling that it was going to come unrooted.

"Stop!" she screamed, closing her eyes and hugging the trunk.

Meanwhile Silverbolt was getting up from the ground. He coughed once and tasted blood. He heard the Predacon woman scream and looked up. He saw the shadow hitting the tree that she'd climbed into. He stared at them a moment, his mind trying to come up with something to stop the monster. Nothing came. He was weaponless and helpless.

_I can't just let him harm her, _he thought, looking around for something, anything, to hit the creature with.

He saw nothing.

Just then he heard Blackarachnia scream again. She'd been thrown out of the tree and was now falling to the ground, right toward the monster's grasp.

-----------------------

"What are ya brooding about _now?"_

Dinobot looked up and glared at Rattrap. The golden haired man had gone into his room to be alone. He was currently sitting on the floor and gripping his sword in his hands, watching his reflection turn with the revolutions of the blade. When he was like this he didn't want any disturbances. "I am not _brooding_, vermin," he snarled, pushing his golden bangs out of his blood red eyes. "I am meditating."

"Same difference," the rat replied. He was leaning against the doorway of the taller mans' room with his arms folded and his body loose. He cocked his head and his rat tail tapped against the floor lightly. "It's _still_ brooding."

Dinobot sighed. He clearly wasn't going to get anything done with Rattrap watching him. He set down his sword and slowly got up and sat on his cot. "What do you want, vermin?" he asked, not looking away from the smaller man. "I know it cannot be just to bother me. There is something on your mind."

"Eh, ya wouldn't be able to help me," Rattrap said, shrugging.

"Try me."

"I think Primal is hiding somethin'."

Dinobot stared at him. "Why do you think he is hiding something?" he asked.

"I dunno," Rattrap said, gesturing with his hands. "But ever since Spots and the Bird-dog went out to investigate that new stasis pod he's been acting a bit... weird. Worried."

Dinobot cocked his head. "Worried?" he said. "Why would he be worried about a stasis pod? I could understand if he was worried about it being dead or something but-"

"I don't think it's that," Rattrap said. "I get the feeling that the Boss Monkey is worried that this one will have actually survived."

Dinobot blinked. That made no sense. "That is a strange thing to say," Dinobot said, standing up and reaching down to pick up his sword again. "You Maximals do not think like that. That is something I would expect you to say about _Megatron_."

"I know, but that is what I think he is wishin'."

Dinobot gave him an impatient look. "If you are so worried that that is what he is thinking why do you not say something to him?"

"Because he'll just deny it."

Dinobot began to swing his sword around. "Somehow I do not think he will."

-----------------------------------------

Blackarachnia landed on the ground right in front of the shadow. She pushed herself up as she heard him laughing. She looked up at him and saw him leaning over her, his hand out to grab her. She did not want him touching her. Her body reacted on it's own. Her leg came up and she kicked him in the stomach.

The thing grunted and stepped back.

She was instantly on her feet. "Kyaaah!" she shrieked kicking him again. He took another step back. Embolded, she kicked him again and again. Once in the face, three times in the stomach. But, just when she thought she would actually beat him down, he grabbed her leg and flung her hard onto the ground.

She landed on her stomach and the air was knocked out of her. She gasped for breath as he let her leg go and grabbed her by the back of her shirt collar. She struggled but he wasn't going to let go.

"You shouldn't have done that," he said in a condescending voice. "Now you just made me angry." he turned her around and looked right into her eyes. "Believe me, you will like me even less when I'm angry."

She felt his grip on her arm. She gritted her teeth, waiting for some kind of pain as he ripped it off. Before it could come something slammed into the monster and knocked him off balance. He let the woman go and she fell onto the ground. She sat on the ground a moment and stared wide eyed at Silverbolt who'd slammed his own body into the monster's. He grappled with it a moment before they both fell onto the ground. Silverbolt jumped to his feet before the monster could grab him and ran up to Blackarachnia. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. "Come on!" he said urgently. "Let's get out of here!"

They dashed away from the monster but not the way they had come. "What are you _doing_?!" she asked.

"Just a second," he said rushing forward. He got enough momentum and threw himself into the air. His wings picked up the breeze and he glided over to where Tarantulas was. Before they passed the tree, he reached out a hand and snagged the man off the branch. Another draft caught his wings and blew him higher into the air just as the monster made a grab for them. They hovered out of his reach for a moment then slowly glided away, losing altitude as they proceeded.

Blackarachnia noticed. "We're not going to get away from him at this rate," she said. "Why can't you fly?"

"My wings are still too torn up to fly," he replied, his face full of worry as he watched the thing follow them. "We're going to have to think of something else."

"Would less weight help us get higher?" she asked, eying Tarantulas.

"Probably," he replied and noticed the expression her face and where her attention was plastered. "But I'm not about to drop Tarantulas and I'm sure _you _don't want to die either."

She said nothing.

"We'd better hope our comrades find out where we are before we land," he said, looking at the ground again. "Otherwise we're goners."

--------------------

Airazor and Terrorsaur had searched everywhere for their comrades in close vicinity to the explosion area and now they were flying over the last place close by. The forest that led into the swamp. They had almost flown over the whole place when Airazor saw something ahead of them. It looked like something with giant wings gliding over the trees. Since her eye sight was pretty good she could tell exactly who it was. She grabbed Terrorsaur who was flying beside her and pointed ahead. He looked over at her curiously. "There!" she exclaimed. "Do you see that?"

Terrorsaur looked where she pointed. His farsighted vision wasn't as good as hers but he was able to make out what looked like a vulture slowly gliding down below the treeline. He knew no buzzard had a wing span that great and remembered seeing Silverbolt in the _Axalon_ with his giant eagle wings. "That is them!" he exclaimed.

"Let's get over there!" the bird girl said, still gripping his arm as she drug him over to the spot. He tried to break free from her grip but didn't succeed. She was determined not to let him go until they got to their comrades.

"Silverbolt!" she called out as they neared the wolf eagle.

He looked over his shoulder and spotted the two fliers. "Airazor!" he exclaimed. The two glided on both sides of him. "How did you find us?"

"It wasn't easy," she replied, noticing his cargo. "Blackarachnia! Tarantulas!" She and Terrorsaur noticed the wounds the scientist had. "What happened to him?"

Silverbolt pointed into the forest. The two looked down and saw something dark chasing after them. "What's that?" Airazor asked, looking back up at Silverbolt.

"A problem," he replied. "and I can't get away from it. My wings don't work so I can't fly. All I can do is glide."

Airazor noticed he was losing altitude. She grabbed onto his wing and tried to help him get higher. "Help me!" she shouted to Terrorsaur.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I said so!" she shouted, her voice taking on the tone of someone who wasn't going to be argued with. "and Megatron will be angry if I told him that you are responsible for two of your comrades dying."

He glared at her but did grab the other wing. They both lifted Silverbolt but couldn't get much higher.

"Where's Waspinator and Cheetor?" Airazor asked Silverbolt.

"I don't know," he replied. "the Energon explosion separated us."

Airazor saw Terrorsaur's face. He looked like he wanted to go look for his friend. Silverbolt's next words caused him to wait. "Right now we have something a little more important to worry about." he pointed below. "We have to do something about that creature down there before it harms someone else. I would have but I lost my weapon and I think Blackarachnia did as well." he coughed and blood came up and onto his hand. "and I think I'm in trouble."

Airazor gave him a worried look then glanced down at the thing chasing them. "Terrorsaur and I can fly. We'll try to distract him while you get out of here and back to the _Axalon_." she looked at both Silverbolt and Tarantulas. "We'll give you a boost!" and she and Terrorsaur flung the three forward and upward as hard as they could.

Silverbolt gained a little more altitude and glided away.

Airazor heard the thing below them scream in anger. She glanced at the other flier. He looked a bit nervous but wasn't about to fly off. If he did Airazor might laugh at him about it and tell everyone what a coward he was."You ready?" she asked him, pulling out her gun.

He took his own gun off his back where he'd had it strapped and chambered a round. "Ready," he said.

The two banked and then dived down into the trees.

--------------------------------------

Cheetor and Waspinator's location wasn't much of a mystery. They'd landed together in another area not too far from the explosion. Neither was hurt, aside from a few bruises and scratches because the mossy ground had cushioned their fall.

"Ow! Wazzpinator's backzzzide landed on a thorn bush!" the wasp groaned, sitting up and rubbing his rear end.

Cheetor got up from the ground, rubbing his face which was covered in scratches. He looked around himself and was relieved that he could recognize the area. "At least we're alive," he said.

"Cat-bot might think that'zzz good but Wazzzpinator noticed zzzomething Cat-bot didn't," Wazzzpinator said, brushing off his jacket. "Doggy-bot and lady ZZZpider-bot aren't here."

"They must have been blown in a different direction," Cheetor said. "I'll try to contact them." he spoke into the comlink. "Cheetor to Silverbolt, come in Silverbolt." Static. "Slag, too much Energon interference."

"Well Wazzzpinator izzzn't going to juzzzt zzztand here," the green skinned man said, zipping up his jacket. "Wazzzpinator izz leaving."

"Hold it!" Cheetor exclaimed, grabbing the Predacon by the wings. "You can't go flying off like that! We have to find our friends!"

"Cat-bot doezzz not command Wazzpinator," the Predacon replied, glancing over his shoulder at the blond, his purple eyes full of contempt. "Wazzzpinator izz going back to the base to tell Megatron about accident."

"Why tell Megatron?" Cheetor asked. "He'll just get mad at you for leaving."

Waspinator turned around to face Cheetor. He knew the Maximal was telling the truth. "Then what doezzz Cat-bot zzzuggest we do?" he asked.

"Find our comrades," Cheetor said, determinedly. He let go of Waspinator's wing. "Come on."

-----------------------------

Terrorsaur started shooting the moment he spotted the giant shadow. The thing's shadow was pretty easy to distinguish from the other shadows since it had two glowing green eyes at the head area.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

"Terrorsaur!" Airazor shouted. Even though she had her own gun she was reluctant to start shooting. From the way the Predacon was shooting it seemed like she wouldn't have to.

He ignored her. It had been awhile since he'd last shot something and this thing gave him a good excuse. The thing took a few shots to the chest and arms and grunted in pain. The shots created flashes of light and Airazor got a glimpse of what the thing actually looked like. She saw a slightly tanned face, the glowing green eyes that held a insane light and blood red hair. She also noticed it has strange shaped ears (like the Pokemon Vaporeon's) and antennae of some sort coming out of its head. She noticed something else that Terrorsaur didn't notice.

Every single gun shot wound he received quickly healed up.

_What? How is that possible? What __**is **__that thing?_

The creature's eyes met hers and seemed to read her mind. He grinned at her then lunged at Terrorsaur. Terrorsaur squawked in shock before he was knocked to the ground. The thing sat on his chest and pinned his arms to the ground.

"You shoot like a matinense bot." the thing said, before reaching down and dislocating the red head's shoulder.

Terrorsaur cried out and the thing laughed. It enjoyed his pain. It was about to do the same to the other arm when suddenly its body went limp and it fell over. Terrorsaur panted and shoved the body off him with his good arm. He saw Airazor standing over him with a thick tree dropped her gun because she knew it wouldn't do any good. She'd opted for something heavy. Her face filled with relief that he was okay and dropped the branch before she helped him up, being careful not to hurt his arm.

"Thanks," he said, putting a hand on his dislocated shoulder.

"You're welcome," she said throwing the branch down. She looked at him worriedly. "You're hurt," she said.

"It's nothing," he answered, gritting his teeth. "Nothing I can't treat myself." he grunted as he forced his arm back into place. He looked at the body at his feet. "What are we going to do with _him_?" he asked.

She looked down at the thing that had tried to kill the Predacon. "I don't know," she said. "I think we should leave him here and tell Optimus about it. Maybe he'll know what to do with him."

"What do we do with him till then?"

Airazor looked around and spotted a tree with a thick trunk. "We can tie him to that tree," she said, pointing. "He's too heavy to carry anyway."

_A/N_

_I still can't think of anyway to make Megatron have some kind of hold over Rampage. I need to think of something before I write the next chapter. Can someone help me? By the way. I gave Rampage some qualities of a crab but I did not give him claws! That would look horrible! Also you'll see more of Cheetor and Waspinator in the next chapter and you'll find out if Tarantulas will be allright as well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for the reviews. I didn't expect to get that many. _


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

"I'm telling you, that thing is too dangerous to be kept alive," Airazor was saying to Optimus Primal. She and Terrorsaur had returned to the _Axalon_ an hour after Silverbolt, Blackarachnia, and Tarantulas. Rhinox had taken Silverbolt and Tarantulas to the infirmary to treat their wounds. He'd recently given the good news that Tarantulas, though severely injured, would live. The news was good but Airazor didn't dwell on it too much, the spider wasn't her problem anyway. Her mind was still on the monster she and Terrorsaur had fought. Optimus, after hearing the entire story, didn't want the thing to die but to be captured. Airazor, who usually had a soft spot for living beings, didn't think it was a wise choice this time. "It almost killed us!" she insisted, spreading out her hands in a wide gesture. "How could you want it to stay living?"

"I just think we shouldn't kill it," Optimus told her. "From what you told me it would probably would make no difference if we tried."

"True," Terrorsaur said, holding up his gun. "I emptied an entire power cartridge trying to stop that thing!"

"See what I mean," Optimus said, looking back at Airazor. "He can't be killed. Even as a organic being."

"So what do you plan on doing?" she questioned.

"I'll think of that when we get him back here," Optimus replied. "Now," he said, turning to the holomap. "Where did you two leave him?"

The two pointed at the exact same spot on the map. "Right there," Airazor replied. "We tied him to a tree. Hopefully he didn't get loose."

Optimus hoped he hadn't gotten loose either. Who knew what would happen if that thing got away? "I'm going to check on Silverbolt," he said, getting out of the chair by the computer and heading toward the hall. "If he's okay we'll head out there and get him." he stopped and looked back at Terrorsaur. He noticed the red head had a hand on the arm he'd gotten dislocated. The Predacon had said he'd gotten it back into place but Optimus wanted to be sure. "Terrorsaur, I think you'd better get your shoulder looked at."

Terrorsaur dropped his arm. "I'm fine," he informed the Maximal. "Keep your mind on your own fraction and don't worry about me."

Optumuys didn't bother arguing. He turned away and disappeared.

Terrorsaur noticed Airazor staring at him. "What?" he asked, looking at her.

"Nothing," she said, stepping away from him. "I was just staring at your face."

"My face?!" he exclaimed, unconsciously putting a hand on his cheek. "What about my face?"

"Nothing," she said again. "It's just really nice." she turned away and dashed out of the room before he could say anything. He watched her go then turned to the mirror-like door of the CR Chamber to look at his face. It wasn't quite as pretty as his robot face and it was covered in scratches from his encounter with the monster but it _did _look nice. _Why'd she say that to me anyway...?_

He suddenly became aware of an arm being draped over his shoulders. He stiffened as Megatron spoke into his ear. "I see you're still vain, yess."

"Megatron," Terrorsaur said, dropping his hand from his face. "I didn't even hear you sneak up on me." That fact annoyed him. He hated when he didn't know what Megatron was doing.

"That's because you were too busy looking at your reflection," Megatron told him. Then he changed the subject. "Now what was it that I heard you and the female Maximal talking to Primal about?"

The other Predacon didn't bother hiding anything. He had the sneaking suspicion that the man already knew. If he lied, his superior would know. "Well Megatron," he began. "It seems the Maximals created some kind of monster back on Cybertron that they were going to try to get rid of." he smirked. "It doesn't seem like they did a very good job."

"So now it's loose and running rampant in the swamps," Megatron said, putting his hand on his chin, thoughtfully.

"It's doing _something_," Terrorsaur replied. He got the feeling that Megatron wasn't just asking questions to be informed. He was up to something. "What are you planning?" he asked.

"Oh nothing that if of any concern to you."

"It _is _my concern if it involves that monster!" Terrorsaur snapped, shaking Megatron's arm off his shoulders and turning to face the taller man. "That thing tried to kill me! It tried to kill Blackarachnia and Tarantulas too!" he pointed toward the hallway that lead to the infirmary. "Did you even see what it did to him?! Id' rather fall into a pit of lava than have another encounter with that thing!"

"Well _you _don't have to go," Megatron informed him, his magenta eyes filling with annoyance. "I don't need you to get it done. I can do it myself. yess."

Terrorsaur's eyes filled with horror when he realized what Megatron was planning. "You're going to see that thing for yourself aren't you!?" he exclaimed. "You're going to try to convince it to join up with us, aren't you!?" he gestured widely with his hands. "Are you _crazy_!? That _thing_ will kill you! There is no way in the Pit that it will agree to side up with us."

Megatron smirked. "There is _always_ a way to convince someone," he said, putting his hands in his pants pocket. "Sometimes it just takes a little... motivation."

Before Terrorsaur could speak Megatron turned from him and headed toward the elevators. "If Primal asks where I am tell him I went to... test something out, yess."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Inferno was about to kick the door of the infirmary until it opened when it slid open seconds before his foot came in contact with it. He instantly lost his balance and fell into Silverbolt who was coming in with Rhinox who held the beat up and bruised Tarantulas. Inferno, upon seeing who he'd fallen into and knocked over, quickly got to his feet. He glared at Silverbolt for a moment then tried to make a break for it. Rhinox knew what he was going to do. He reached out and grabbed the man by his silver-blue hair.

"Don't even think about it, Inferno," Rhinox said in a completely calm voice.

"Let go of me, Maximal!" Inferno screamed, trying to run even though Rhinnox was holding onto his long hair.

"I'm not going to let go until you stop trying to run away," Rhinox said, turning his head and staring at the other man's girlish face over the top of his glasses. "Megatron wants you to stay in the infirmary until your injury is completely healed."

"But it _is_ healed!" Inferno almost screamed, looking over his shoulder at the Maximal. "It's not leaking mech fluid anymore!"

"Just because it's not bleeding doesn't mean it's better. And that's not mech fluid, it's blood," Rhinox said patiently. "Now get back inside so I can take a look at it."

Inferno finally realized he wasn't going anywhere until he let the glasses wearing Maximal get a look at his wound. He stopped trying to escape and looked at the dark complected man. "Fine," he said and pointed at Silverbolt who looked sick for some reason. "But keep _him _away from me."

Rhinox nodded. The last thing he wanted to do was put Silverbolt anywhere near the pyromaniac. The four went into the room. Rhinox set Tarantulas down on another cot. Inferno noticed the other Predacon's injuries right away.. "What did you do to him?" he demanded.

"_I_ didn't do anything to him," Rhinox explained, not looking at the silver-blue haired man. "He was attacked by something."

"Yeah you," Inferno retorted, folding his arms and stepping closer for a better look.

Rhinox didn't have time for this. He turned around and grabbed Inferno by the neck. He then shoved the man against the wall and held his body a few inches off the floor. Inferno's red eyes filled with surprise at the suddenness of the attack.

Before he could recover, Rhinox said. "I don't have time for your slag right now. Now, if you don't shut up and sit back down on your cot, I am going to do something I'll regret, understand?"

Still stunned, Inferno nodded.

Rhinox let him go and he fell onto the floor. He ignored the fire ant after that and returned to treating Tarantulas.

-----------------

Blackarachnia didn't stick around the others too long after they got back. Since she wasn't seriously hurt like the others Optimus Primal let her go. She turned from him and headed down the other hall. There she ran into Quickstrike who was leaning against the wall, looking bored. When she called out to him he looked up and smiled when he saw her.

"Well hey there, lil lady," he said, pushing himself away from the wall and walking over to her. "I was wonderin' when you'd get back."

She smiled at him. "I'm back now. It didn't take long," she said. "Want to go for that walk now?"

His face lit up at the suggestion. "Sure thang," he said, taking her hand.

On the way out they passed Rattrap. He gave them a suspicious look. She smirked at him and he frowned. He stopped walking and watched them go by.

_Somethin' just ain't right about that._

_---------------------------_

Megatron took the hover craft to the location where Terrorsaur and Airazor had tied up the thing that had attacked them. He hoped the thing was still where they'd left him. If it wasn't, he would have to spend hours looking for it. Fortunately for him, that wasn't going to happen. He spotted something below and turned the machine earthward to check it out. When he landed he discovered he'd found what he was looking for.

Smiling to himself he got off the craft and walked over to the creature. It was still unconscious as it stood tied to the trunk of a large tree. In the light from the hovercraft headlights he could make out an organic face with short red hair and slightly tanned skin. The man had strange looking antenna coming from its head and weird sharp bone things sticking out of its face. Megatron wasn't sure if the man had put them there himself or they had stayed there after the change. Well it didn't matter. The Predacon leader wasn't here to stare at the man or wonder about his choice in facial piercings. He was on a mission.

Without taking time to think it over, he stepped toward the other man...

-----------------------

He woke to find himself laying face flat on the ground. He didn't know how he got there but that didn't matter. He lifted his head and discovered the forest was much lighter than it had been a few hours earlier. It didn't take long for him to make out a figure sitting a short distance away. He slowly sat up and stared at it. It looked like someone in a purple trench coat was sitting on a rock with their back to him.

He smiled to himself as he thought about the poor fool who didn't seem to be aware that torture and death was only a short distance away. He got up and took a few steps toward the figure.

Suddenly pain filled his entire body. He grunted in agony and grabbed his chest as he fell to his knees.

The figure stood up just then and turned to face him. A tall man with black hair and magenta colored eyes stared at him with a mocking look in his eyes. "Did you really think I didn't hear you?" the man asked in a voice that didn't really fit his appearance.

The man on the ground looked up at him. "Who are you?" he gasped, "What have you done to me?"

The man in purple smirked and held up something. A strange looking organ sat beating in a box surrounded by purple crystals. "I was just testing out something," the man replied. "I heard about your inability to stay seriously injured for long and decided to see for myself." he looked at the box and made a face. "It seems my guess was right. If I had done this to anyone else they'd be dead."

The man on the ground glared at him. "Are you satisfied now?" it asked.

"Quite," Megatron replied loosening his grip on the box.

The pain went away and the man with red hair sat up gingerly, his green eyes filled with disdain for the other man. "Why did you do that?" he demanded.

"Why? The answer is simple," Megatron pocketed the box and gestured with his hands. "You need to be controlled and I need a lackey." he put his hands in his pockets and smirked.. "So my little surgery gives us both what we need, Rampage."

The other man glared at him. "I will not be your lackey," he hissed. "and my name is not Rampage."

Megatron didn't hear him but it didn't matter. The Predacon needed to head back to the base before Optimus started getting suspicious. He looked right into the other man's eyes. "I'm going back to the _Axalon_," he said. "You may join me or stay here. It's your choice."

"I'll stay here," the man the Predacon had called Rampage replied, folding his arms. "I have no reason to bother with any of you, unless I decide I want to have some fun."

Megatron's smile faded. "You will not be having anymore 'fun', no," he said, touching the pocket he held the box in. He saw the other man wince when he did this. "I only gave you a choice because it doesn't matter if you come with me or not. I'll still inform them you're loose and roaming freely." he pointed a gloved finger in the other man's face. "I think it would be better if you came with me so you can tell them yourself that you won't be a threat, yess."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Because if you don't you'll wish you had, yess!"

----------------------------

Cheetor and Waspinator were lost. Completely and utterly lost.

At first, when Waspinator first noticed this fact, Cheetor had insisted he knew where they were going and had even argued with the Predacon about the turns they were taking, but as they walked and didn't seem to be getting any closer to their destination he started to lose confidence. He wasn't about to tell the Predacon this fact, though. He'd never hear the end of it if he did.

"Izzz Cat-Bot zzzure we're going the right way?" Waspinator asked as the shadows in the woods grew thicker. "Becauzzze Wazzpinator doezzz not think he doezzzz."

"I know where we're going," Chettor retorted, looking over his shoulder at the Predacon. His yellow eyes filled with annoyance. "If I didn't I would have told you."

Waspinator folded his arms and gave the younger man a look. "Wazzzpinator thinkzzz Cat-Bot izz lying," he said.

"Well think all you want, Buzzbrain," Chettor snapped, his cheetah tail twitching with aggravation. "We'll be back at the base soon and then you'll eat those words."

Waspinator sighed and unfolded his arms. He didn't believe Cheetor for a moment. He could have just flown back to the base by himself by now but his one wing was bend so he couldn't. Besides; he was worried about Blackarachnia. They'd been searching for their comrades for the past two hours and hadn't found either. The former wasp robot wanted to say something about it but Cheetor, being a Maximal, would choose to ignore his words or argue with them like he already had.

"Doezz Cat-Bot even know where we are?" he asked, hoping Cheetor would admit he didn't. The Predacon didn't want to feel surperior, he just wanted the Maximal to be honest.

Cheetor began to say he did but stopped. Waspinator already knew he was lying. "No," he finally admitted. "I don't know where we are."

"So we're lozzt?" the other man asked.

Cheetor nodded.

"Wazzpinator knew it!" Waspinator exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "Cat-Bot should have lizzztened to Wazzpinator!"

"Well I didn't," Cheetor said testily. "There's no need to rub it in."

"Wazzzpintor wazzn'tr rubbing it in," Waspinator said putting his hands on his hips. "Wazzpinator izzz juzzzt zzzaying that Cat-bot should have lizztened to Wazzpinator."

Cheetor said nothing. Maybe he should have. The problem was; Waspiantor acted and talked so funny that Cheetor always thought of him as an idiot. Now he was feeling like the idiot for not listening to the Predacon. "Which way do you think we should go?" he asked Waspinator.

The green skinned Predacon hummed to himself for a moment, looking around the darkening woods as he tried to get his bearings. He took a deep breath then looked back at the Maximal. "That way," he said, pointing in the opposite direction.

Cheetor opened his mouth to argue but stopped. He had no right to question the Predacon's sense of direction when his was a piece of junk. He nodded. "Okay," he said reluctantly. "We'll go your way."

Waspinator smiled. "That izzz all Wazzpinator asks."

--------------------------------------

Rhinox checked out Inferno's wound and found it was healing nicely. He told the former fire ant Predacon that he was well enough to leave the infirmary but he'd have to take it easy for awhile. Inferno wasn't the type to take such advice and, after retrieving his flame thrower, began searching the Axalon for Megatron, bent on whining about how he had been treated by the Maximals.

When the ant left Rhinox pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and went back to treating Tarantulas' wounds.

So far he'd found on broken leg, one dislocated shoulder, five broken ribs, countless bruises and possibly other damage. Luckily Tarantulas was unconscious, otherwise he'd be in utter agony. The Maximal just hoped the Predacon scientist wouldn't be out permanently.

_If only we hadn't of had to stop Megatron,_ he thought as he bandaged the scientist's arms._ If he hadn't of stolen the Golden Disc this never would have happened._

_-----------------------------_

Dinobot finished practicing with his sword and sat down at his computer to do some research. As he began to turn the machine on he realized it was already activated. He frowned at the screen. He didn't remember leaving the computer on when he'd left his room earlier. He distinctly remembered shutting it down and password protecting it so only he could activate it.

_Somebody has hacked into my computer,_ he thought, going through his files to make sure nothing had been disturbed. _But who? And for what reason?_

He typed up a few things, trying to find what the hacker might have stolen but his computer came up clean. Nothing seemed to be removed or hacked into.

"So why did they hack into my computer if they did not want to steal or look up anything?" he asked himself out loud, letting his arm hang over the back of his chair. "Did they put something into the main frame? If so, what?"

--------------------------------

So far things had been going... smoothly. The Vok kept a close eye on the progress of the creatures they'd turned human. There had been some incidents and near deaths but what did it matter? The former robots were beginning to adapt to things slightly. The real problem had been Rampage. Turning him human wasn't enough. Even with the flesh body he still healed easily and that made him dangerous.

The Vok could do nothing about it. All they could do was change their bodies, not how they thought or what they did... or how well their bodies healed.

For now it was okay but... something wasn't right.

Something they didn't expect had made its way back to the planet after being blasted out of a body it had possessed a few months earlier. This something entered the shell of a formerly blank protoform body that had fallen to the planet with the rest of the pods. This something then began to slowly gain a new body, under its own power and without help from a DNA scanner.

A short time later this something, in its new body, climbed out of the pod and dashed into the forest surrounding the pod. It had things to do, people to pay back for what they had done to it. Like the others, its body had become organic as well but it had no animal qualities to it and was completely human, much to its own anger.

It would be awhile before anyone found out about its return.

_A/N_

_Most of my reviewers suggested how I make Megatron get control over Rampage. After some thinking I decided to do the one that most of you suggested. That sorta thing reminds me of Dragonheart. XD Half a heart to make you whole... never mind. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HELP!_

_I have a little surprise for you all that you will see in a awhile. I'm not telling what it it though, you'll have to wait and see._

_I REALLY didn't feel like finishing this chapter. I had to force myself to edit it. _


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Scorponok had found a place on the Maximal ship that nobody ever went into anymore. Because of this; he had claimed the area as his own personal space, after he'd said something to Optimus Primal about it, that is.

Optimus had said the area was empty because the recent occupier of the room had changed their mind about going at the last minute when the four Maximal scientists had embarked on their journey and then gotten their rude distraction. When the Predacon asked if he could have it Optimus was curious and slightly suspicious but said he could as long as he didn't try to build any bombs back there, for two reasons. The area was close to the fuel area so any accidentle explosions could blow up the entire ship. Though the ship could no longer fly it still had fuel in the engines and is sitting there just made it more of a problem if something happened. The other reason was if he was found making bombs the truce would be over and the Maximals would have to take up arms against him. Scorponok assured the Maximal that he wouldn't make any bombs and Primal had allowed him to have the room to himself.

Usually Tarantulas would have been the one to take the most private room to himself to use as a new lair but since he was out of the picture for awhile Scorponok claimed it first. Scorponok was feeling strange lately and wanted his privacy. He also wanted to work on something.

Since the change from metal to flesh, he'd lost the Cyberbee he usually carried around with him. That and the missles that had been in his claws. Now that he had hands again some things were easier to do but he missed his weapons and especially that bee. It could be very useful right now. He decided to build one. The room was full of old parts and other types of scrap and with a lot of work he would be able to build it.

Even though what he was doing was purely innocent, he didn't tell anybody. He wanted it to be a surprise.

* * *

Dinobot shut down his computer and stepped out of his room. He still wasn't sure who'd hacked into his computer but, since they'd taken nothing, he didn't need to worry about it for now. Of course the fact that it had been hacked into would stay in his mind for awhile, until he discovered the identity of the hacker. He didn't have time to dwell on it. He had other things on his mind and other things to do. Things that weren't anybody's business.

Luckily nobody bothered him as he made his way through the ship and into the control room. Tigatron was sitting at one of the computers doing nothing important at the moment. He didn't even look up when the taller man walked past him and stepped into the elevator. The machine lowered the traitor out of the ship and outside. He stepped off it when it came to a stop and looked around himself. He spotted the moon which was just beginning to wane. He took his eyes off the satellite and turned from the ship. Without looking back, he took off over the terrain.

* * *

Megatron was nowhere to be found. This fact did not sit too well with Inferno. He felt he needed to talk to the man about something but, since he couldn't find him, he would have to wait. He didn't want to wait. He also had no idea where his superior was. He figured one of the Maximals would know. He strode into the control room and spotted Tigatron. The white haired man in white clothing was sitting at one of the computer consoles but no really doing anything on it. He seemed to be staring into space.

The pyromainac remembered this man, organic looking or not. This was the guy that had blown up the stasis pod he'd come out of. Of course he didn't think of it as that. He thought of it as his former colony. He would never forgive the nature loving Maximal for blowing up his former home. Even now he felt like teaching the man a lesson for it. He held himself back though. They were having a truce so he couldn't _burn. _He could glare though.

Tiagtron felt the hateful stare and blinked. His eyes came back into focus and he stared at Inferno. Because of the change the Predacon no longer looked like a monster from the Pit. The girlish look to his new face made him look innocent though anyone who knew him could easily see past it. Tigatron could easily see past the face. He knew what lay under the mask.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Tigatron asked calmly, turning slightly in his chair so he could be face to face with the Predacon.

"My colony would still be here if it wasn't for you," Inferno informed him.

Tigatron stared at him without a word, a little confused at the words for a few seconds before he realized what he was talking about. So the pyromaniac was still dwelling on that. "I'm not going to apologize for destroying it," the Maximal said, getting out of his chair and facing the Predacon. "But I will say I would have prefered you thinking _that _was your home instead of the Predacon base. At least then you wouldn't have been on either side."  
"What is that suppost to mean?" Inferno demanded.

"It's simple," Tigatron said, folding his arms into the long sleeves of his robe. "You were a Maximal protoform that was reprogramed by Tarantulas. Even though you became a Predacon I would have prefered you as a Predacon who cosidered both sides his enemy to having you be the enemy for just one side."

"You are wrong," Inferno informed him, folding his arms. "I would have still found a new colony either way. If you had not destroyed my old one I-"

"What would you have done?"  
"Protected it."

"Until someone else tried to steal it from you," Tigatron said. "I don't know what Tarantulas wanted with your former "colony" but even if you'd gotten it away from him he would have just taken it back again."

Inferno cut him off. He didn't want to hear anymore about that subject. He knew enough about it already. He also knew he used to be a Maximal. Even so... he prefered being on the side he was on. At least_ Predacons _were allowed to be violent all they wanted. He got back to his former topic. "Where is Megatron?" he asked. "I wanted to talk to him."

"He's not here," Tigatron replied. "Megatron went somewhere. He took the hovercraft."

"When will he be back?"

"I don't know nor do I care," the Maximal informed him.

"Maybe I should go look for him," Inferno said, already edging toward the elevator.

"There's no need for that," Tigatron said, going back to his chair but watching the Predacon. "I'm sure he'll be back when he's done with whatever he's doing."

Inferno ignored him and stepped into the elevator. "I'll be the judge of that, Maximal," he snapped as the machine lowered him out of the ship.

Tigatron watched the elevator lower Inferno. When he could no longer see the silver-blue haired man he sighed and got back out of his chair. He pressed the button that made the elevator work. It stopped.

He heard Inferno curse then demand in a loud voice. "Who did that?"

Tigatron walked over to the machine and looked downward. He saw that the Predacon had been knocked off his feet and saw sitting on the floor of the elevator. Inferno stared up at Tigatron. "What was that?" he growled. "Haven't you ruined my life enough? Now you're trying to_ kill _me?!"

"I'm not trying to kill you," the man in white said calmly. He jumped down into the elevator. Inferno moved out of the way to avoid getting sat on. Tigatron landed on his feet beside the Predacon.

Inferno stared at him. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

Tigatron gave him a look. "I'm going with you."

"WHY?!" the Predacon exclaimed.

Tigatron calmly met the other man's gaze. "Because there's something I need to talk to you about." then he hit the button and the elevator began moving again.

* * *

Terrorsaur didn't stay inside the Maximal base for very long. He made up some excuse to leave then went outside and sat on the roof of the _Axalon_. He needed to think and that was the only safe place he could think of to do so. Megatron hadn't returned from his little investigation so he had no idea if Rampage was still a threat or not. Whatever Megatron had done to the thing or it had done to him, the red head just hoped he would never have to see it again. If Megatron and the thing wound up killing each other so much the better. Terrorsaur hated Megatron anyway. Besides; Megatron's organic body would be unable to repair if he was torn to pieces. If something bad happened to him this time he'd die and stay dead.

The other thing on his mind was Waspinator. Waspinator was his wingmate and best friend. He had no idea where the other flyer was since the explosion. He just hoped he was okay.

_Hopefully he hasn't run into that monster, _the red haired Predacon thought, resting his elbow on his knee and leaning forward slightly. He stared at the moon. It was beginning to wane. _Just like everything else here, _he thought, sighing. Just now he was starting to notice the pain in his shoulder. Sure he'd pushed it back into place but it still hurt. He put his hand on the area. The skin was tender and he had a feeling there might be a bruise under it. He did not want to look at it if there was.

Just then he noticed Dinobot and his mind got off his wound. The former Predacon was running from the_ Axalon_. When he reached a certain distance he started climbing up some rocks. A few minutes later he was gone. Two minutes after he disappeared Inferno and Tigatron stepped out from under the ship. Inferno was yelling something and Tigatron was saying something back, only in a quiet voice that didn't reach the Predacon on the roof. A few minutes later the two also disappeared.

He frowned. Where was everyone going? He waited. Surely more would come out and go somewhere. He almost hoped someone would. A few minutes later, after seeing no one else leave, he decided that he was wrong and his mind went to some other topic. How much he hated having an organic body. He'd never wanted it and didn't need it. It was weak and ugly, to him at least. He punched the roof in ager. "Slag!" he growled.

"What are you doing up here?" a voice asked, startling him.

Terrorsaur's body jumped. He looked over his shoulder, his hand reaching toward his gun which lay beside him. Airazor stood behind him. Her black gloved hands were on her hips and her green eyes were giving him a curious look. His hand went limp a few inches from his gun as a sudden relief washed over him. Airazor wasn't a threat. The only time she'd shot at him was when he's shot her first after she'd gotten her beast mode... He hated her for that.

"What do you want?" he asked, his red eyes filling with annoyance. He really didn't want to talk to anyone right now, especially her.

"Nohing," she said, cocking her head in that bird-like way. "Just wonder what you were doing."

"Sitting here," he said shortly. "Now that you know what I'm doing you can leave." he lifted a hand and made a shooing motion.

Airazor didn't move. She stayed in position and stared down at him. Their eyes met and he looked away. "Why are you bothering me?" he asked her.

"I'm bothering you?" she asked, stepping toward him. "I thought I was just being polite."

He sneered. "Why would you want to be polite to me?" he asked.

"Because I want to." was the reply he got.

"That's not a reason!" he shouted, getting to his feet. He faced her. "A reason would be something like "because we're in the middle of a truce and I have to be nice to you because I can't fight with you". 'because I want to' is_ not _an anwer."

Airazor was offended. "Well I do _want_ to," she retorted. She folded her arms and leaned all her weight on her right hip. "I know we're in the middle of a truce and we have to be nice to each other because of the Change and everything but I felt I should be nice to you since-"

He raised an eyebrow, a gesture that only recently started becoming a habit. "Since what?" he asked.

She waved it off. "It's not important," she said annoyed. "You don't care anyway." she turned from him. "Just go back to what you were doing."

Then, before he could say anything to her, she jumped off the side and flew away.

* * *

Rampage was going back to the_ Axalon _with Megatron. He didn't really want to but he didn't have a choice. Megatron had something that belonged to him and he was determind to get it back, even if it meant pretending to be a slave for awhile.

_It won't last long, Megatron, _he thought, following the Predacon out of the swamp and back to the hovercraft. _I'll have the other half of my spark back soon and then..._

Megatron stopped walking and Rampage walked right into him. "Hey!" he shouted, rubbing his nose. "Don't do that!"

The Predacon looked over his shoulder. He looked like he wanted to say something but he didn't. He looked away again and stepped onto the hover craft. Rampage followed, annoyed and a little curious about what Megatron had wanted to say but didn't.

* * *

"Wazzpinator hatezzz mini blood sucking bots!" Waspinator screamed in annoyance as he swatted away more mosquitos. He glared at Cheetor who didn't seem to be being bothered by the tiny offenders at all. "Why don't Mini Blood sucking bottzzz attack Cat-Bot?" he demanded.

Cheetor shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe they don't like me."

Waspiantor swaated another bug out of his eyes. "Wazzpinator hopezzz we get out of this forezzzt zzoon before Wazzpinator izzz covered in blood suckerzzz!"

Cheetor just stared at him. Though Waspinator was leading the way out and seemed to know where he was going, going had been tough. They'd run into more than just mosquitos on the way and Cheetor was sick of running away from bears and mountian lions. He longed to get out of the forest and into the _Axalon_. He was tired and wanted to lie down. He couldn't here and Waspinator wasn't about to stop, not until he could get away from his offenders.

"How long until we get out of these woods?" the blond asked Waspinator.

The Predacon flyer got his mind off blood suckers long enough to look around himself. Though his organic eyes had horrible night vision he recognized the area. "Zzzzoon," he said, looking at the young Maximal. "Zeee Wazzpinator won't get lozzzt, unlike zzzertain Cat-botzzz."

Cheetor resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at the Predacon. "I'll just be happy when we get out of here," he said, rubbing his arms. "This place is giving me the creeps."

"Not to mention Cat-bot got attacked by fleshy Cat-Bot and Wazzpinator had to zzzave him," the Predacon added, grinning.

"Don't remind me," Cheetor muttered, turning away from the green skinned man. "If it had been you you wouldn't be laughing."

"Wazzpinator izzn't laughing," the Predacon corrected him. "Wazzpinator izz just zzzaying Cat-Bot should appreciate what Wazzpinator did for him."

"I _do _appreciate you saving my life," Cheetor said, looking back at the other man. "But I always considered you the one who always wound up getting into some kind of trouble." he smiled slightly. "You were always the first one blown up in a battle."  
Waspinator frowned at him. "Wazzpinator didn't alwayzz have zzuch bad luck," he said. He raised his hands in a bigger gesture. "Univerzze didn't always hate Wazzpinator either. Wazzpinator uzzed to have a better life. Wazzpinator had a nice home on ZZZybertron."

Cheetor stared at him. "If that's true why did you leave it?" he asked.

Wazpinator laughed in a mocking way. "That izz Wazzpinator's buzziness."

Cheetor wanted to push it. Waspinator seemed like the kind of person who would give something away is someone said the right thing. The young Maximal was hoping that that would be it this time but it seemed he was wrong. Waspinator wasn't going to tell him anything.

"But univerzze still hate Wazzpintor," Waspintor went on, looking at his organic hand. "It wazz bad enough for Wazzpinator without becoming a fleshy-bot. Wazzpinator doezzn't like being a fleshy-bot. Wazzpintor bruizzezz too eazzily." he made a fist with his hand an punched the trunk of the tree he was standing by. "Wazzpinator hatezz univerzze!"

Cheetor had never heard Waspinator say_ that _before.

* * *

"WILL YOU STOP FOLLOWING ME!?" Inferno shouted at Tigatron who was walking a short distance behind him. "It's bad enough you blew up my colony now you're going to follow me around now that I can't harm you as badly!"

Tigatron stopped. "I have my reasons for following you," he said simply. "I don't care if you hate me."

Inferno glared at him. "If I wasn't under orders not to shoot you'd _burrn_," he grumbled.

"Then I thank Megatron for ordering you not too," Tigatron said, putting his hands on his hips. The tiger tail swished slightly on its own. "I don't know how you think you're going to find Megatron tromping off like this. He could be anywhere."

Inferno sneered. "The queen can't hide from me," he said confidently.

"Waiting for him to return would have been a smarter idea," Tigatron said, walking toward him again.

The pyromaniac snorted. "Nobody asked you to follow me," he retorted, lifting his flame thrower. "Why don't you go back to your colony, Maximal? This isn't any of your business anyway."

Tigatron could have debated that. Even though they were having a truce that didn't mean the two parties would be honest with each other. Megatron was still being sneaky behind the Maximal's backs. He also seemed to be making Dinobot nervous for something. The blue skinned man seemed strangly agitated recently. "You're not the only one who needs to speak with Megatron, Inferno," the man in white said, meeting the pyro's eyes. "_I_ have something I need to discuss with him as well..."

Inferno's expression was both suspicious and unbelieving. He didn't ask questions. He just turned around and tromped off, trying his best to ignore the other man walking a few steps behind him.

* * *

Dinobot had gone looking for the alien disc. Though he'd given Megatron the one from Cybertron he wasn't about to hand over the other. He'd hidden it in a different place than he'd stashed the first one and now he was sitting in that place, holding the heavy disc in his hands and staring at his organic reflection with a angry scowl. He hated what he saw. It disgusted him. What disgusted him more was what he was doing. Pretending to be one thing while actually being another. It was against everything he'd believed in. He snarled at his image and the face mirrored the look. The expression marred the symmatry of his face and made it look ugly and disfigured. He didn't care. That was how he felt. Why hide the truth from himself? Sure he could hide it from others but this was something he could never hide from himself, no matter how much he lied.

It was him. It would never go away. It could never be hidden.

After a moment he sighed and covered the reflection with his hand. His stared at the blue skin and the white claw-like fingernails. His mind began to wander.

_To be or not to be... that is the question..._

* * *

Flying was impossible. Though he'd spent all of his life with that ability he never knew how useful it was until now. His new body refused to lifted off the ground no matter how hard he tried to make it. Sure he could jump pretty high and gravity didn't really seem to have much of a hold on him but, he couldn't fly.

_Slag, _he thought, landing on a tree branch. _I always knew organic bodies were useless. What confuses me the most if how could I have become a human anyway? I'm a robot and that was a stasis pod with a protoform. I wanted a new body but not this kind! _He clenched his fists and ground his teeth. _This is _their_ fault! They're not going to get away with this!_

He jumped down from his perch and looked around himself. He wasn't sure where he was anymore. _Great. Just great!_

_A/N_

_Okay I'll stop here for now. Hopefully the next chapter will be better. My ears have been bothering me the past few days and I can't really concentrate. I really need to go to the doctor. Anyway. To avoid going off into la la land I'll try to get some of an episode storyline into the next chapter. _


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Dinobot decided to no longer keep the alien disc a secret from the others. Without the Golden Disc it was useless anyway and too dangerous to keep hidden. He knew Megatron would demand to know where it was if he didn't give it to someone anyway. He headed back to the base, the disc in his arms. He just hoped he wouldn't accidently run into Megatron or the other Predacons before he was able to speak to Optimus or Rhinox about it. He would have a hard time explaining himself to them if he did and Megatron would demand to have the disc back.

Luckily for him he didn't meet any of the Predacons and, by the time he stepped back into the base, he was relieved. The only person in the control room was Rhinox and he looked like he had just gotten back from some kind of fight. His face was scratched and his glasses had been knocked out of whack and were smudged. Dinobot stared at the other man for a moment, taking in the damage to his dark face. "What happened to you?" he asked.

The dark skinned man took off his glasses and tried to clean them off by using his shirt. "Tarantulas," he answered wearily.

Dinobot stared. "What did he do to you?" he asked.

"More likely what did _I_ do to_ him_," Rhinox said in a slightly sarcastic voice. "I was trying my best to treat his wounds and he woke up in the middle of it." Rhinox rubbed his face. "He freaked out, thinking I was attacking him. I had to knock him out to finish." Rhinox rubbed his fist that looked like it got bitten. "I think I broke his front teeth." He stared at Dinobot. He noticed the blue skinned man had his hands behind his back. "What do you have behind your back?"

Dinobot pulled out the disc and showed it to him. Rhinox eyes grew wide. "The alien disc." he said, walking over to the other man. "How did you get it?"

Dinobot handed it to the scientist. "It is not important," he said, his voice saying he didn't want to get into that topic. "Just put it somewhere where Megatron cannot get it."

Rhinox took the disc and stared at it a moment before he turned from the taller man and looked around the room, trying to find a place to put the disc. Dinobot watched him for a moment then slipped out of the room before Rhinox could say anything else to him.

* * *

Blackarachnia and Quickstrike didn't go too far from the _Axalon_. It would have been dangerous to wander too far. They talked about things as they walked. Quickstrike tried to hold her hand but she wouldn't let him. He seemed upset about it at first but didn't let it get to him that much. He was walking with a beautiful woman, who could complain? 

Blackarachnia noticed that Quickstrike seemed very interested in Predacons. He kept on asking questions about them and wanting as many details as she could give him. She herself had plenty of knowledge on the subject, though she was a originally a Maximal protoform. She'd done plenty of research on the subject after she'd come online and could answer just about anything. It felt good to finally put all that knowledge to good use. Of course she didn't know as much about it as Dinobot or Megatoron but she knew plenty. Quickstrike didn't need to know that anyway.

"It sounds like you Predacons have all the fun," Quickstrike said.

Blackarachina stared at him. "Fun?!" she exclaimed. "You think it's fun?" she laughed scornfully. "Oh my dear Quickstrike, being a Predacon isn't fun. It's a pain in the-"

"Well it sounds fun to me," he cut her off, looking over his shoulder at her.

"What would you know?" she said irritably, putting her hands on her hips. A night breeze stirred her long black hair. "You wouldn't say that if you had become one of us."

"You don't know that," he said, leaning against a rock and folding his arms. He smirked. "For all you know I might have_ liked _it."

* * *

Scorponok finally realized why he was feeling weird. Something in his body told him. He'd been working on that cyber bee when a sudden gurgling noise startled him. He dropped his wrench and it fell onto his foot. "YEWO!" he shouted, grabbing the limb. 

When the pain subsided he rubbed his foot for a moment then put it on the floor. He reached down the grab the wrench he'd been holding and that noise in his gut happened again. He froze. He'd never heard that noise before. It sounded like a monster inside him. When the noise happened again he panicked and ran screaming out of the room.

He hadn't gotten very far when he ran into Rattrap. He crashed into the Maximal and both fell to the floor, him on top of the other Transformer turned organic being.

"Hey!" Rattrap exclaimed, shoving Scorponok off of him. "What's the big idea?"

Scorponok looked at him with a terror filled face. "I'm-," he began.

Rattrap noticed the look on his face. "What's wrong with you?" he demanded.

Scorponok's pride didn't stop him from blurting out. "There's a monster inside me." Then felt stupid for telling that to a Maximal.

Rattrap gave him a look. "What?!"

"Listen!"

The two fell silent. Rattrap heard the gurgling noise. He cracked up. "HAHAHAAAHAHAAHAHA!!!" he cackled, holding his stomach.

Scorponok found no humor in a monster being inside him. "What's so funny?" he demanded.

"Don't ya know anythin' about organic beings?" he snorted, trying to get ahold of himself long enough to explain. "That's no monster that's your stomach!"

The Predacon made a face. "My stomach? I don't _have_ a stomach!"

"Ya do now," Rattrap said, getting unsteadily to his feet as he snickered. "and if it's makin' noise that means your hungry."

"Hungry?"

"Yeah," Rattrap said. "Like at home when we need Energon. Our bodies start to weaken. It's the same thing, though we eat different things now."

Scorponok's stomach growled again. "Where can I find this energy then?" he asked, putting a hand over his stomach.

Rattrap, deciding to humor his unwanted guests just this once, took his arm. "Come with me."

* * *

Terrorsaur was thinking about what Airazor had said. She had looked strangely upset that he'd blown her off like that. He didn't know why she'd act that way. It wasn't like they were best friends now. She was still a Maximal and he was still a Predacon. They still hated each other. Nothing would change that. 

_So why'd she get upset? _he asked himself, leaning forward and staring off into space. "She hates me. I hate her too. So why..." He got up. He had to know. He didn't know why it was so important but he felt that he needed to know why she had acted that way. Curiosity would always get him into trouble. Just like it had with the floating island of Energon. he didn't care. They were in the middle of a truce. If she saw him she wasn't likely to shoot him down.

He looked around, trying to remember which direction she'd gone. He'd seen her jump off the edge of the ship. He didn't even know if she'd gone back inside or had flown off somewhere.

He guessed she'd done the latter. Airazor had never been the type to hang around the base. Most of the time when the Predacons attacked the base she and Tigatron weren't there and, if they were, it was only because they needed to get repairs done or they'd been called back. Well that didn't matter. He was going to find her.

Opening his leathery wings he took a deep breath and jumped off the side of the ship. A gust of air filled the wings and he was flying. He smirked. Yeah, he might now be able to fly the easy way but he still had his wings. Ignoring the landscape below, lest he suddenly develop a fear of heights, he took off in search of the female Maximal.

* * *

Optimus Primal was not expecting Megatron to come back with Rampage trailing sulkily behind him. In fact Optimus hadn't even know Megatron had gone anywhere until Rhinox told him. So seeing Megatron come back from where ever was bad enough, because he hadn't even said he was going anywhere, but seeing that he'd brought Protoform X with him was worse. Optimus felt his headache returning. It was interesting to note that X didn't seem to want to be in the area and seemed to have a resentment for Megatron. Primal had no idea what was going on with that. He couldn't figure out why Rampage wasn't going crazy or why he was so angry at Megatron or why Megatron didn't seem to be bothered about the fact that the man was standing behind him and could easily kill him. 

_All right, Megatron. What have you done now? _

"What is going on?" Optimus asked, eyeing Rampage who glared at him then resumed glaring at Megatron. "What is he doing here?!"

Megatron looked at Rampage then back at Primal. "I brought him here, yess," he said calmly.

"I can see that," Optimus retored. "But why did you bring him here?"

"The answer is quite simple, really," Megatron said spreading his hands. "I figured out a way to make him less dangerous and figured you might like to know this before you did something rash."

Optimus gave him a look of utter disbelief. "What did you do to him?" he asked, suspiciously.

Megatron smirked. His eyes seemed to say 'wouldn't you like to know, Primal?'. He wasn't about to give away his little secret, not now and probably not ever. Let Optimus stew about it. "Does it matter?" he asked, putting his hands in his coat pockets. "Just be glad your little experiment is behaving himself."

Optimus glared at him. Megatron returned the look with another one of his smug smiles. "So what do you plan on doing with him?" the Predacon asked, just to get under the Maximal's skin.

Optimus got ahold of his emotions and spoke in a calm voice. "That," he said, folding his arms and eyeing Rampage. "Is none of your concern."

Megatron's mouth fell open. "What?" he exclaimed, suddenly angry. "You can't hide things from me! no! We agreed to a truce so you can't just-"

"I can say the same thing to you," Optimus cut him off, meeting Megatron's eyes. "We may be under a truce and, you take great joy in reminding me of this whenever certain issues come up, but when I want to know something you keep secrets. What kind of truce is that?"

Megatron sputtered, trying to come up with the right words.

"You don't have to tell me what you did to make him more sane," Optimus said, eyeing Rampage, who was looking around the base with his bright green eyes. "I just want to make it clear that if you're going to be hiding things from us we're going to do the exact same thing." he walked past Megatron toward Rampage. "As for your question; I don't know what we're going to do with him."

Rampage glared at him. "If you think I'll willingly let you lock me up somewhere you'll be sadly mistaken," he growled. He stepped back toward the elevator shaft. "I'd rather be thrown into the Pit." Then, before anyone could stop him, he jumped down the shaft and disappeared.

Megatron smirked. "It seems if you want to confine him you'll have to catch him first, yesss."

Optimus held back the urge to punch the other man.

* * *

Inferno and Tigatron never noticed the hove rpad fly over them as they walked farther away from the _Axalon._Inferno was too busy ranting about things that didn't interest the peaceful Maximal and Tigatron was too busy trying to look like he was listening when he wasn't. 

"The Royalty shouldn't have gone off like that without telling me," Inferno was ranting, spreading out his hands and closing his eyes. Tigatron was surprised the Predacon could walk without falling when he did that. "I mean, what would we do if something happened? These bodies are weak and take too long to heal. They only would fall into chaos if something happened."

"It wouldn't be that bad," Tigatron said, in a passive voice. He didn't think his new body was that bad, though he prefered his robotic body better. "If something happened to him you could just join our 'colony'."

Inferno's head wipped around. He glared at the Maximal in white. "You would like that, wouldn't you?" he snapped. "That foolish idea will never happen." he lifted his flame thrower, his finger on the trigger. He pressed the trigger and a small flame came out of the barrel. "Not if I can help it."

"Why not?" Tigatron wanted to know. "It wouldn't hurt you."

Inferno laughed. His voice was shrill and mocking with a hint of the madness he usually spoke with. The sound echoed off the stone walls on both sides of them before dying away. "You're a fool, Maximal," he said. "Do not try to convert me. It won't work."

"I wasn't doing anything of the sort," Tigatron said calmly. "I was just making a suggestion."

"Save your breath," Inferno told him. "I have no interest in changing my mind."

"It might do you some good to consider it," the Maximal muttered.

* * *

Airazor had flown away from the _Axalon_ after Terrorsaur had given her the big blow off and had found another place to roost. It was a a cliff area a short distance from the forest. She dropped down onto the rocks and sat down, staring out over the horizon. She couldn't see much because it was still dark but she wasn't paying much attention to the scenery anyway. 

_Why did I let him get to me? _she wondered, resting her chin in her black gloved hand. _He's nothing but a Predacon with a pretty face. He's still a jerk. I hate him and he hates me. _She frowned. _If that's really true; why do I care what he says? We're enemies anyway. _

That's what she told herself but she remembered that even when she'd been a robot she'd found him lovely. Of _course_ she thought that way, it was hard not too with a face like that. She'd never seen anything like it before. It didn't seem right. It didn't seem like it should belong to him. With the way he acted she'd felt he didn't deserve it. _Maybe that's why I scrapped him so bad the first time I met him, _she thought, looking at the sky. The sun was beginning to rise. This realization suddenly brought on fatigue. She hadn't slept much the past few days and her organic body was feeling the affects of it. She yawned and stretched her arms. Yeah she was tired all right and didn't feel like flying all the way back to the base.

She looked around. There didn't seem to be anything that could hurt her nearby. _Good, _she thought, lying down on the rocks. Within minutes she was asleep.

* * *

"Those foolish people," Rampage muttered, stalking angrily away from the _Axalon_. "Talking about me like that. Trying to decide my fate. Well I won't let them do it to me again." he smirked as a pleasant thought came to mind. "But fear is something they can't hide, not from me." He'd felt resentment from the others in the ship but also fear they all seemed to be trying to mask. Sure, they thought he wouldn't notice, but they didn't realize that his powers of empathy allowed him to feel emotions people tried to hide. The only one who hadn't showed fear was Megatron. That one was strange. He didn't seem to have any fear for the man who could tear him apart. 

_Probably because he has half of my spark, _the man thought bitterly. _He knows I can't hurt him. _he clenched his fists and growled. _That won't last long. When I get the rest of my spark back I'll make his death slow and painful. _The thought made him smile. _And I'll enjoy every minute of it._

Suddenly a flaming object passed over him. Rampage instinctly ducked as the object fly by and crashed a pretty good distance away. He stared after the object, his green eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. _What was that? _he wondered. He didn't waste too much time thinking about it. With no other thoughts on his mind he ran in the direction the object had gone, his curiosity probbing him to do so.

* * *

Silverbolt, who had gone for a walk to clear his head, also spotted the falling object. His own curiosity was aroused and, though he couldn't fly because of a broken wing, he headed toward the spot, his own curiosty getting the best of him. 

_What in the Matrix was that? _he wondered, as he ran toward the spot the thing had landed. _Is it... another one?_

* * *

Tigatron and Inferno were almost plowed over by the object. They had been having an arguement about something when a flaming object in the sky came flying toward them. They had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck. When the thing crash landed it sent down a rain of dirt and rocks. The two stared at the object from their spots on the ground. 

A stasis pod.

"By the Matrix," Tigatron said, slowly getting to his feet. He brushed the dirt off his white clothing and stepped toward the object.

Inferno also got up and brushed himself off. He also stepped toward the object.

Purple electric sparks coursed through the frame of the pod. "Hold it," Tigatron said, putting out an arm to stop the other man from getting too close. "Something isn't right here."

Inferno gave him a look. "You do not order me around, Maximal," he said.

Tigatron didn't have time to argue and wasn't feeling like being nice anymore. "Inferno, shut up and listen to me," he ordered, looking at the Predacon. "I don't think that pod is stable. Didn't you see the sparks it just let off? There's something wrong with it."

"Huh?" Inferno looked at the pod. It didn't seem to have anything wrong with it. "You're lying."

"No, I'm not."

Inferno pointed at the pod. "Look," he said. "There's nothing wrong with it."

Tigatron looked at the pod once more. This time he didn't see anything wrong with it. _That's strange..._

**ERROR! ERROR! DNA SCANNER DAMAGED! **a computer voice suddenly shouted.

Inferno and Tigatron looked at each other then back at the pod with their mouths open. The pod was suddenly covered in purple electric veins that sparked every few seconds. "Do you believe me now?" Tigatron said not taking his eyes off the pod.

Before Inferno could reply a new voice suddenly called out. "Ah, so that's what I saw."

The two looked over their shoulders. They spotted a man with firey red hair, bright green eyes and wearing red jacket and a pair of dark red pants standing behind them. He had his arms folded as he stared at the pod with a smirk on his face. "I can feel that thing's pain," he muttered, walking toward them. "It doesn't want to be in there."

Inferno pulled out his flame thrower. "Who are you?" he demanded, pointing the gun at the other man. "Don't come any closer."

The man looked Inferno over with a neutral face. "You must be Megatorn's pet," he said. Megatron had told Rampage about Inferno and the other Predacons on the way back to the Maximal ship.

"How do you know the Royalty?" Inferno demanded.

The man smiled bitterly. "That is something you don't need to know," he said, pushing Inferno's gun away from his face. "Move." he pashed past both men and started toward the pod.

"Don't," Tigatron said, grabbing his arm. "Tha pod is unstable if you get to close-"

The man looked at the Maximal with fierce green eyes. Tigatron froze when he saw the murderous look in the man's eyes. "I would advice you to let me go," the man snarled. "Otherwise you can say good bye to your tail."

Tigatron let the man go and stepped back. The man walked toward the pod, ignoring the sparks of electricity coming from it. The pale skinned Maximal didn't know what to think of this man or why he was walking toward the pod the way he was. _What's he going to do? _

**ERROR! ERROR! **The pod shook with electricity.

"Yes," the man said in a low voice detatched voice. "I can feel your pain. I can sense your want to live!" He stepped closer. "Fight it. Come out! Come out!"

Suddenly an explosion rocked the area.

_A/N_

_I couldn't remember that whole part in the Transmutate episode. Well it does't matter that much. Tigatron wasn't there anyway. I might need to take a break from this though Transmuate has just been introduced. I might take awhile to update cuz I'm currently re-editing the other chapters. _


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

The three had to duck down to avoid flying debres from the stasis pod explosion. As Inferno threw himself onto his stomach a piece of the pod flew only inches from where his head had been only seconds before. If he'd been standing he would have been killed. Silverbolt, who was a short distance away, spotted the explosion and ran toward it, curious about what caused it and and hoping that nobody got hurt. When he arrived he saw three figures on the group with their arms over their heads. Before he could ask what happened he spotted something else and any words he was about to speak stayed in his throat. _What in the Matrix?_

Rampage lifted his head out of the ground and also spotted the figure. He stared at it, open mouthed, as he slowly got to his feet. _What is this... Or should I say what is __**she**_

A young woman stood in the spot where the pod had been. She had short greenish colored hair, big red eyes that held a blank expression and skin that had an unnatural tint to it. The skin looked like a mixture between green, yellow, and caucasian. She wore a green bikini type top and an extremely short green skirt, on her one arm hung a sleeve of the same color but the other arm had no sleeve. She stared at the two with a child-like expression.

Silverbolt was the first to find his voice. "Uh, hello," he said, taking a step toward it.

By then Inferno and Tigatron had also gotten off the ground. The two stared at the girl with unreadable expressions, though Tigatron's mouth hung wide open.

Rampage's expression changed to one of great interest. Something about her felt familiar. He felt that he could relate to her somehow. She was no longer in pain so that wasn't what he was feeling. She looked at the four former transformers with child-like interest, her vacent looking red eyes focusing on each for the same amount of time. She never spoke, just stared. It made Tigatron nervous.

Rampage was always bold. He stepped closer to the strange girl. "Hello," he said to her.

She looked back at him. Her expression turned slightly fascinated as she took him in again. The look made him feel strange but he couldn't understand why.

"We're your friends," Silverbolt said suddenly. She looked at him. "Do you understand?"

She cocked her head.

Rampage glared at Silverbolt. The canine turkey man was stepping closer to the woman, his hand out as he spoke softly to her. "We're not going to hurt you. We're going to take you back to the _Axalon_. Optimus will be happy to see you."

Rampage reacted to that. "No!" he shouted, causing the woman to look back at him. "He's lying! If you go there they'll only judge you!"

"_You're_ the one who's lying!" Silverbolt shot back, looking over at the other man. "Optimus will not judge her! He'll welcome her."

"He will not!" Rampage snapped, stepping closer to Silverbolt. He glanced at the woman and started gesturing. "He's lying to you! That Maximal won't welcome you! He'll just treat you like a freak!" he put out a hand to her. "Come with me. I won't judge you. I'm your friend."

She looked at him with that expression again and put out her hand. A pale thing with five fingers and long claw-like fingernails. "Friend?" she said slowly, her voice still sounding slightly robotic even though she was organic. The sound was low yet femanine.

"That's right," Rampage said, smiling slightly. "I'm your friend, your only friend."

"You're lying!" Silverbolt shouted. "_I'm _her friend!"

The woman started to look confused. She looked like she wasn't sure who was her friend and who wasn't. She put up a hand and started to say something.

That's when Inferno snapped out of it and reacted in the only way he knew how. He lifted his flamethrower and fired at the woman.

Rampage watched the ground explode in front of her. "No!" he shouted, before turning on Inferno. "What in the Pit did you do that for?!" he demanded angrily. He took a step toward Inferno. "I'll rip out your antenai!"

Inferno turned his gun on the other man. He was about to fire but a loud screeching sound stopped him. "ARGH!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands over his ears. "What is that?!"

Tigatron, who had also covered his ears against the noise, looked toward the spot where the woman had been standing. She was still there. Now she was standing with her mouth open. She looked like she was singing. "It's_ her_," he ground out.

"The female?" Inferno asked, falling to his knees. "_She's_ making this awful sound?!"

"It seems so..."

Silverbolt was affected more then the other two because of his sensitive hearing. He was on the ground, his hands on his ears, totally immobilized. "But why.." he managed to ask. "What have we done-" he glared at Inferno, remembering when he'd shot at her. "YOU!"

"Don't blame me for this!" Inferno said wincing.

"It's _your_ fault," Silverbolt said. "If you hadn't shot at her-"

"ARGH!" Inferno screamed, his face a picture of agony. "Make her stop!"  
Once everyone was lying flat on the ground with their ears covered she finally did stop. She stared at them a moment then fell over.

Rampage was the first to recover thanks to his ability to heal fast. He got off the ground and went over to her, picking her up in his arms and running off with her. "Wait!" Silverbolt shouted after him. "Come back! You _can't _have her!" then fainted.

* * *

It was morning and Cheetor and Waspinator still hadn't gotten back to the _Axalon_. Waspinator knew where it was but going was harder because he couldn't fly. To make things worse Cheetor was starting to complain. Usually Waspinator would be the one whining but the table had turned since recently.

"My feet hurt," Cheetor moaned. "I can't keep walking. Can we take a break?"

Waspinator stopped and turned around, putting his hands on his hips. "Cat-bot hazz become a big fat whiner!" he stated. "Can no longer call Waspinator whiny no more."  
"I'm not whining," Cheetor protested, slowly sinking onto a large rock behind him. he took off his boots and started rubbing his sore feet.

"Yes Cat-bot is."

"Am, not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

Waspinator glared at him. "Cat-bot is a liar! Waspinator is getting sick of hearing Cat-bot whine. Waspinator has half a mind to leave Cat-bot here and find Maximal base on his own."

"You wouldn't _dare!"_

The Predacon smirked. "Cat-bot doesn't know that," he stated. "Waspinator wouldn't feel bad if Waspinator left Cat-bot here. Waspinator is a heartless Predacon after all."

Cheetor knew Waspinator was hinting at something but he had no idea what it was so he said nothing.

Waspinator was disappointed. He would have prefered an answer over silence. Now it seemed that he wouldn't get any. He frowned and walked a short distance away. Testing out his wings, he discovered that they were almost completely healed. Deciding to test them out he started to make them move. At first they refused to co-operate but then they started moving rapidly and creating a low humming noise.

Cheetor looked up from his brooding when he heard the sound. He spotted Waspinator hovering s short distance above the ground. "You can fly!" he exclaimed.

Waspinator smirked at him. "Of_course_ Waspinator can fly," he said. "Waspinator did not become fleshy-bot with wings just for show."

"Well if you can fly you can see how far away from the base we are!" Cheetor said, getting off his rock.

"Waspinator will look," the Predacon said. "But only because Waspinator wants to. Not because Cat-bot said so."

He then turned and flew above the tree line.

* * *

Terrorsaur was starting to realize he had a slight fear of heights. He'd never thought about it when he was a robot because he knew that, even if he fell from a great height, he wouldn't get damaged too badly. In this organic body, if his wings happened to stop working for whatever reason, he'd fall and probably die. To get his mind off that possibility, he thought about Airazor. He still wanted to ask her some questions about what she'd said to him back at the base.

_She was acting strange. That's all I understand. _he thought. _I don't know why she should be. It's not like there's a difference in anything now. We're still enemies... _he'd never understand Maximals.

He turned his gaze earthward. Not too far below he spotted a figure in black and orange clothing with large black wings lying down on the side of a mountain. _That's her, _he thought, banking and changing course.

He landed on the cliff and stared down at the female Maximal. She was lying curled up on the ground, her arms under her head like a pillow. She was sleeping so peacefully Terrorsaur hesitated in waking her. _You can't just stare at her,_he told himself. _You didn't look for her this whole time to stare at her. Wake her up. _Kneeling down he put his hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. "Airazor," he said. "Wake up, Maximal."

Airazor woke with a start, her body reacting the way it was used to. She sat up and, since she had no gun, her hand shot up instead and she slapped him hard across the face. Terrorsaur made a surprised sound and fell back, holding his face.

Airazor's eyes grew wide at the sight of Terrorsaur. "Oh Primus!" she exclaimed getting up and putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you!"

He rubbed his cheek and glared at her, saying nothing.

She looked at him curiously. "Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"No," he snapped, ticked off that she'd slapped him.

"Then why are you here?" she wanted to know.

He admitted. "I was looking for you."

The Maximal female blinked. "For me?" she looked confused. "Why were you looking for me? Did something happen?"

"No." He didn't meet her eyes as he said. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

He stopped rubbing his face and sighed. "It's not important anymore," he said.

Her expression changed. She took her hand off his shoulder and turned away. "It must have been important if you had flown all the way from the base just to talk to me," she said, not looking at him. "Otherwise there would be no reason." she met his eyes. "Are you _sure_ nothing has happened?"

"Yes," he replied. He gestured at himself. "Does it look like anything has happened?"

She guessed by that question that he meant does it look like they had become robots again. She knew they hadn't. She would have felt a difference if she had. "Then what do you want," she asked, turning fully back to him and folding her arms.

"I wanted to ask you something," he said slowly.

"What?" she asked.

"What did you mean by what you said before?" he wanted to know.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You said you felt you should be nice to me since... you never finished your sentence," he replied.

"I'm not important anymore," she answered. "I don't even remember what I was taking about."

_You're lying. I can tell. _he thought but didn't say. "If it was because of what happened with Rampage there's no point in worrying. I'm fine."

"It had nothing to do with that," she informed him. "I know for a fact it wasn't about that."

"Then what _was_ it about?" he demanded. "I don't like not knowing."

She smirked. "Maybe it's best if you didn't," she said.

He glared at her. _Why does she have to be that way?!_

* * *

"Silverbolt, Silverbolt," a voice called, bringing Silverbolt back into consciousness.

He opened his eyes and found Tigatron and Inferno standing over him. Tigatron had a worried look on hia face and Infenro wasn't even looking at him. He had his hands on his hips and was staring into space. Tigatron's expression changed to one of relief when he saw the other man had finally woken up.

"W-what happened?" Silverbolt asked, sitting up with the help of his comrade.

"You passed out," Tigatron replied.

"But... why...?" Silverbolt looked around himself. "The protoform!" he exclaimed, remembering the strange woman. "Where is she?"

"Rampage took her somewhere," Tigatron replied. He helped the man stand. "I think it would be a good idea to return to the base and tell Optimus about this. He needs to know."

"I'm _not_ going back to the base," Silverbolt said firmly, wrenching his arm away from Tigatron. "I'm going to find Rampage and the girl before he does something to her." he tried to walk away.

Tigatron stepped in front of him, blocking him. "I must advice against this," he said. "If you go off by yourself and try to save her, he'll kill you."

"I don't care," Silverbolt said. "He tried to kill me and Blackarachnia before. I won't let him harm her as well."

"But-"

"Let him go," Inferno cut him off. "If he wants to be foolish let him."  
Tigatron glared at the Predacon. "I cannot allow it," he said, looking back at Silverbolt. "It would be reckless."

"Reckless or not I will not allow him to harm another," Silverbolt said, folding his arms. "Now please move out of my way before I am forced to move you."

Tigatron stared at Silverbolt a little longer then slowly stepped out of the man's way. He shook his head as the winged Maximal walked off. "I don't like this," he muttered. "I don't like this at all."

Inferno heard him and laughed. "At least this will end _my_ problem," he said.

Tigatron stared at Inferoo. The man was smiling with an insane light in his eyes. "Maybe I'll follow him,." he said thoughtfully. "I'll enjoy watching the man who tried to kill me get what he deserves." he lifted his gun and started to follow Silverbolt.

Tigatron reacted instantly and grabbed the Predacon by the arm. "Don't you _dare_," he snapped, meeting the other man's eyes.

Inferno frowned at him. "_You_ do not order me, Maximal," he said. "If I want to follow them I will."

"But what if Megatron is back at the base?" Tigatron asked, purposely bringing the Predacon leader into the topic. "I'm sure he's waiting for you to tell him what you need to."

That got Inferno's attention. "Yes," he said, nodding. "I still must speak with the Royalty." and he forgot about Silverbolt and the other two. "All right, Maximal, let's go. The Royalty is waiting."

Inwardly Tigatron smiled. It had worked. Just one mention of Megatron and Inferno would do anything. _I just hope nothing happens to Silverbolt, _he thought, glancing back at Silverbolt's shrinking figure before he followed the pyromaniac back to the base.

* * *

Scorponok found that he liked human food. He hadn't thought he would since he was so used to Energon and taking too much of that gave him a buzz but it never really had any flavor to it, not that robots cared much about flavor anyway. When Rattrap had handed him what looked like an apple he'd made a crack about wild bean vines. Scorponok did not think the joke was funny, remembering the first and only time he'd encountered that particular food. The memory still gave him nightmares.

He'd finished the apple like he'd never had anything to eat in his life. Rattrap had watched him with great interest, an amused look on his face. The Predacon second in command didn't appreciate the look but he was grateful for the food none the less, though he wouldn't admit it, not while Megatron was within hearing distance.

"Where did you get this anyway?" he asked, looking at the core when he'd finished the rest.

Rattrap shrugged. "Eh, we've had that for awhile. Sometimes we go out and collect it just because we have to," he replied. "The Energon in the area isn't exactly stable, ya know. We had to use something else for a power source, though it doesn't always agree with us." he giggled at his last remark.

Scorponok frowned. _If you mention bean vines one more time... _he thought.

"Anyway," Rattrap said, patting a crate of fruit beside him. "If ya get those monsters roaring inside ya again just come here and help yourself." he snickered.

"Watch it," Scorponok said.

The Maximal stared at him. "Ya don't like being made jokes about?" he asked, his mouth turning up in a smirk. "Well I can't blame ya. I bet you're the butt of many jokes where you come from, just because you're so loyal to Megatron." he laughed. " 'Course nobody can insult old Blender-butt about that. He'd roast them."

"I get enough of that from my fraction already, Maximal," Scorponok said coldly, his yellow eyes hardening as he threw the apple core onto the floor. "I don't need it from you."

Rattrap heard Scorponok clicking his teeth together. He still had that nervous habit it seemed only now it was his teeth and not claws that he clicked. The Maximal put his hands up. "There's no need to get violent," he said quickly. "Sheesh, you offend easily."

Scorponok stopped clicking his teeth and turned from the smaller man. Without a word he stomped out of the room.

* * *

Rampage found a nice isolated place to set down the new female. While he walked he'd talked to her about things and she'd listened, not making any comments, her face a blank. He wasn't even sure she understood him but it didn't matter. He felt connected to her. Connected in a way he never felt about anyone before. _But why? _He wondered. _What is it about her that makes me feel this way?  
_He gently set her down. She removed her arms from around his neck and let them fall to her sides as she continued to stare at him. He saw trust in her eyes. The look made him feel uneasy. Why would she trust him? Why would she stare at him like that?

_If only she knew, _he thought, looking away from her gaze. _If she only knew what I could do to her. What I could __**enjoy **__doing to her. _But something told him that, even if she did know, she wouldn't understand or care. "Don't worry," he said to her. "I won't let get their hands on you. You're not going to go through what I had to go through. Never. Never again!"

The woman sensed he looked very upset about something. She just couldn't understand his feelings. _Friend sad.. What is wrong, friend? _she lifted her hand and gently put it on his shoulder. He looked at her with a slightly startled expression. "What are you staring at?" he demanded, wrenching away from her.

Her expression looked hurt and he felt he had to apologize. "I'm sorry," he said. The hurt expression left her features. A slight smile crossed her face.

Suddenly she fell into him and gave him a weak hug. "Friend," she said. "Sad. I make friend happy. Not worry."

Rampage relaxed. "I'm not sad," he said. "Don't worry about it."

She didn't even know what worry was, not really.

He found himself smiling. She didn't know anything about him and he wasn't going to give her any details. The trust in her innocent eyes was enough. For now. His only problem was refraiming from doing anything bad to her. For once he didn't want to. He didn't want her to be hurt in anyway. No, not this time.

* * *

Optimus Primal was interested in the news of the new protoform. Tigatron and Inferno had told him and Megatron, who'd been following him around the past few hours, talking about nothing of importance, the whole story, interrupting each other quite a few times while doing so. When they explained what she'd done and that Rampage had run off with her, the Maximal frowned. "Why would he do that?" he asked.

Megatron gave him a look. "That answer is quite simple, yes," he said. "He's going to do to her what he's been trying to do to everyone else."

Tigatron shook his head. "I don't think that's it," he said.

"What do you mean?" Optimus asked, curiously.

"He told her he was her friend," the man in white explained, spreading out his hands. "He didn't want her to come back with us. He said you'd judge her."

"Why would I do that?"

"She isn't exactly 'all there' if you know what I mean."

Megatron grinned. "Well well well," he said. "This is interesting, yes. It seems even you Maximals get desperate sometimes and will use anybody."

_What are you insinuating? __**We**__ don't do things like that. _Optimus glared at him. "Shut up, Megatron," he snapped, no longer feeling patient with the Predacon.

Megatron said no more but he kept on grinning.

Optimus took Tigatron aside and walked out of earshot of the two Predacons, just a short distance down the left hall. "If what you're saying is true then we'd better get her away from Rampage," he said. "I don't know why he's so interested in her but we can't let him keep her. He might just be using her to satisfy himself."

"What do you mean?"

"You said she's not exactly all there," the Maximal replied. "That she's got some kind of problem and pain. Rampage feeds on fear and pain. He enjoys it."

Tigatron's eyes grew wide. he hadn't known this. "So you're saying he might have taken her just to keep himself satisfied?"

"Exactly," Optimus said, nodding. "We can't let him do that. If he'll eventually find her useless and kill her. We have to get her away from him before that happens."

The tiger humanoid nodded. "I understand," he said.

"Good," his boss said. "Now I think we'd better go. Time is critical."

Tigatron nodded.

The two headed back into the control room and toward the elevator.

Megatron watched them. "Where are you going now, Primal?" he asked.

"None of your business." Optimus said, turning to him. _Not now. _

"Fine," Megatron said, putting up his hands. "Don't tell me. I don't care, no. But if you're going to look for Rampage I might be able to help you."

"How?" Optimus asked his voice suspicious.

Megatron smirked. "Let's just say I have a hold over him, yes."

"Fine," Optimus said. "If you think you can deal with him while we get the protoform come along."

Megatron's smirk turned into a superior smile. "You won't regret this, no."

_I get the feeling I already do._

* * *

He was still lost but he had a feeling he was getting closer to his goal. Now that the sun was up he could see where he was going. With a mighty leap he landed on a high branch of a tree and turned his attention to the sky. Not too far away, on a cliff slightly higher than the top of the tree, he spotted two figures. One in red and one in black. Though they were organic, he could still recognize them, especially the one in red. With a signature smirk of a smile he leapt from the branch and slowy shot up toward his goal.

_A/N_

_I took too long updating this fic so as it is. So yeah I'm gonna stop here. I hope this was okay. I always get distracted while I'm writing and then I have no idea what I was doing when I get back. I hope this made sense. I'll try to update faster next time. _

_Question: Am I just wasting my time with this? Answer me honestly because lately I've been feeling kinda down and I keep thinking I'm wasting my time writing this. Am I? _


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 5

Tarantulas was conscious and restless. When Rhinox went to the infirmary to check on him he found the mad scientist hobbling around looking disoriented. "What are you doing?" the Maximal asked, stepping toward him worriedly. He didn't want the Predacon doing too much until his injuries got better.

Tarantulas looked up, his expression that of one who'd been caught doing something he shouldn't. "I-I-I-" he stuttered then changed the subject. "What am I doing here?"

"Terrorsaur and Airazor brought you here," Rhinox replied, re-adjusting his glasses. "You were attacked and nearly killed by Protoform X."

"Protoform X?" the Predacon said, still looking confused. "That thing with the insane eyes.." He wrapped his arms around himself, his yellow eyes filling with terror. He involuntarily shuddered as he remembered what had happened to him. _I hope I never see that demon again._

Rhinox looked at him worriedly. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Tarantuals made a gasping sound and got ahold of himself, forcing himself to regain his composure. He didn't want to look vunerably in front of a Maximal."I'm fine, Maximal," he said, in a voice that sounded more like his normal one. "Mind your own business."

"Okay," Rhinox said, shrugging "But I'd advice you not to put any weight on that leg until it's completely healed."

"I'm fine," Tarantulas said, angrily. "It's not that back. See." he tried to take a few steps and fell over.

Rhinox started to step forward to help him. Tarantulas looked up, and waved him off. "I don't need your help!" he shouted.

Rhinox took a step back. "Fine," he said, putting his hands on his hips. "Stand up yourself." he turned around and walked out of the room. _Stupid Maximals_._Predacons and their pride. I was only trying to help!_

Tarantulas watched him got and then slowly stood. He leaned back against the cot behind him and sighed. _I have to get back to my lair. _

* * *

Dinobot was in a sulky mood. He'd had an encounter with Megatron in the hall after he'd given Rhinox the alien disc. The Predacon had demanded to know where the other disc was and Dinobot, having no other alternative, was forced to tell him. He didn't _want _to tell him but Megatron had grabbed him by the neck and shoved him against the wall, forcing him to tell where it was, otherwise the Predacon would strangle him. Dinobot not about to have his life end in such a dishonorable way. He grudgingly told Megatron everything.

"So," he'd said. "You thought you'd give one of them to the Maximals did you?"

Dinobot looked away, saying nothing. He'd had a very good reason for doing such a thing and after a moment told him so. Since the truce he'd figured if each fraction had one disc things would be evened out. Megatron informed him that was not so then let him go, heading into the control room. About that time Tigatron and Inferno had arrived with their news and then all four had left. Dinobot was relieved. Megatorn would be preoccupied for awhile.

But not for long. Megatron wasn't the type to forget things that easily. As soon as he got back he'd be all over Dinobot about what he'd done. _I have no regrets, _he thought, leaning against the wall and folding his arms. _It had to be this way. _he sighed and pushed himself away from the wall.

Rattrap was walking toward him and waved. "Hey, Chopper-face," the smaller man said. "Where've_ you _been?"

Dinobot ignored him, pushing himself away from the wall and walking past him and rudely smacking shoulders as he did so. Rattrap watched him stomp off, wondering what was wrong now. Smirking he to decided to find out and went after him, keeping a pretty good distance between them as he did.

_Chopper-face is definately up to something. I wonder what it is..._

* * *

Terrorsaur was insistant. "Could you at least tell me why you keep on bothering me," he said. "And I don't think it has anything to do with the truce."

She looked away from him, feeling a little embarressed by it. She couldn't tell him what she was feeling. He wouldn't understand. They weren't even from the same fraction. It wouldn't be right.. "I can't tell you," she said.

He was getting impatient. "Why not?" he demanded.

She looked back at him and started to say something. Maybe she should explain a little of it to him. Maybe he's understand that much. But before she could say one word something shot up from behind and grabbed her. She let out an involuntary scream as she and the figure fell back off the cliff. Terrorsaur watched with his mouth hanging up, it had happened so fast and he reacted a few seconds too late. As he reached out to grab her, she disappeared over the side. He stopped at the edge of the cliff and saw Airazor and somebody else, though he couldn't make the other figure out because the female Maximal was in the way, fall below the tree line.

Without thinking, he jumped down after them, ignoring the sudden fear of heights as he free falled to the forest below. Tree branches wiped past his face as he shot after the two. A few seconds later he touched down on the forest floor, his wings taking in a gush of air and making him land on his feet. He looked around himself for the Maximal and her kidnapper. "Where are you?" he shouted.

"Looking for something?" a screechy voice asked from behind.

Startled, the Predacon turned around, pulling out his gun, and looked up. He spotted Airazor and the kidnapper in the tree. The person holding her had short black hair, blue jeans, a yellow shirt and a red white and blue aviator jacket. Terrorsaur had never seen him before. _Another protoform? _"Who are you?" Terrorsaur demanded, aiming his gun up at the other man.

The man replied as if the answer should be obvious. "I am Starscream."

Airazor stopped struggling and looked over her shoulder at her captor. She and Terrorsaur gaped at him. "Starscream?!"

"Yes," the Decepticon said. "I've returned. just like I said I would."

Terrorsaur wasn't sure how to react. it was one thing to see his spark possess someone bit it was another to see him actually alive. "But why?" the Predacon asked, his gun still trained on the man.

"For revenge," Starscream shouted, sounding as if Terrorsaur should already know the answer. "I'm not going to let you all get away with humiliating me like that!"

"But_ I _didn't!" Terrorsaur protested, lowering the gun. "I didn't even get a chance to talk to you!" he put a hand on his chest. "_I_ admire you.!"

Starscream gave him a look of utter disbelief. "You _admire _me?" he said, his voice mocking. "I've heard _that_ one before."

"No, it's true," Terrorsaur insisted, stepping closer to the tree where the Decepticon and his captive were. "I want to be just like you."

Airazor gaped at him, not believing what she was hearing. "You want to _what_?!"

"Shut up!" Starscream shouted at her.

Airazor glared at him but did stop talking. Starscream looked down at Terrorsaur with interest. "You want to be just like me?" he asked. Terrorsaur nodded. Starscream didn't look flattered. "_Why would you want to be like me_?!"

Terrorsaur opened his mouth to reply then thought better of it. For some reason the Decepticon didn't look too happy about being somebody's role model. _Is there something wrong with that? _

Starscream noticed the confused look on the Predacon's pale face. "Don't let it get to your head," he said, correctively. "You might act and sound like me but you're _nothing_ compared to me. You're nothing more than a pathetic wannabe."

Terrorsaur gaped at the smirking Air Commander. "W-what?!" he sputtered. "I'm a pathetic_wannabe_!?"

Airazor found herself feeling sorry for Terrorsaur. He was finally having an actual encounter with his supposed 'role model' and he was insulting him. _Why does Starscream have to do that? Why can't he just take it for a compliment? _she saw the look on his face and knew why. Starscream was enjoying it, enjoying making Terrorsaur feel like dirt. She looked down at the Predacon. He looked very upset. _Starscream, you inconsiderate jerk!!_

"Let go of me!" she shouted, stomping on his foot.

Starscream cried out in pain and loosened his grip on her, allowing her to wrench free. She jumped off the branch and hovered in the air a few feet from him, her wings flapping to hold her up. "You are the worst Decepticon ever!" she shouted at him. "Don't you have any_ feelings_? How_dare_ you treat him like that!"

He glared at her, holding his stomped on foot in his hands. If he had had a gun he would have shot her. "Shut up!"

Airazor ignored him, turning her back on him and flying down to the now upset Terrorsaur. "Are you all right?" she asked.

He payed no attention to her. He stared at Starscream who glared back at him then turned, and ran off. Airazor glared up at Starscream then ran after him, calling for him to wait. Starscream watched them go then jumped from the tree and ran in the opposite direction. _I don't have time for him right now. I'll question him about it later._

* * *

Airazor chased after Terrorsaur until he was out of breath and had to rest. He staggered to a stop then leaned against a tree, panting heavily. His right hand covered his face, hiding his pained expression. _I can't believe it! I just can't believe it!_

Airazor stood back and watched him for awhile, feeling bad for the Predacon that had idolized the Decepticon Air Commander so greatly. It must break his heart to find out that his idol wasn't amused about the whole concept. _It would have been better if he had stayed dead, I guess. if he had Terrorsaur wouldn't be feeling like this. _She felt she had to say something and stepped toward him. "Don't let what he said get to you," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "If he's going to be that way he's not worth it."

He was still panting but didn't answer. He started shaking his head at her words. They weren't helping, they were only making things worse. "Leave me alone," he muttered, bitterly. "It's none of your business."

"I know that," she said. "But I'm worried anyway."

He looked over his shoulder at her, his red eyes cold. "Don't waste you time, Maximal," he snapped. "I don't care for your compassion nor do I _want _it."

"Terrorsaur-"

"Leave me alone!" he shouted, turning on her and slapping her hand away. "Just leave me alone!"

She took a step back, holding her sore hand, her dark green eyes reflecting the hurt she felt at his words. For a moment neither said anything and Terrorsaur started to feel bad about snapping at her. Before he could apologize, she said quietly. "Fine. I'll leave you be then." and turned around and flew off.

Terrorsaur watched her go, not bothering to call her back to him, then shook his head, sighing loudly. _She wouldn't understand. She'll never understand. _

* * *

Cheetor and Waspinator had made it out of the forest. "Finally!" Cheetor said, stretching and staring up at the sun. "I'm so glad to be out of that forest! I thought we'd never_ make _it out."

Waspinator smirked, knowing full well that it was all his doing. "Cat-bot had better respect Waspinator now," he said, folding his arms. "Without Waspinator Cat-bot would still be lost."

"Yeah, yeah," Cheetor said, waving him off. "I know. Thanks."

"Cat-bot is welcome."

"Let's get to the _Axalon_ before it gets dark," Cheetor said, setting off over the grassy plain toward the Maximal ship in the distance.

Waspinator flew after him. "Do you think Doggy-bot and female Spider-bot got back to Maximal base?" he asked.

"I'm sure they did," Cheetor replied. "Knowing Silverbolt he probably offered to _carry_ Blackarachnia."

"Female Spider-bot would _never_ allow that," Waspinator said, flying beside the Maximal. "Female Spider-bot won't even let _Waspinator_ carry her."

Cheetor bit back a snide remark at that comment. It wouldn't be very nice to insult the other man. Not after he helped the young Maximal out of the forest.

A short time later the two were riding the elevator into the _Axalon_. When they stepped inside the only one to greet them was Rhinox, who was sitting at one of the consoles, working on something. He looked up when he heard the two enter. "You're back," he said, standing up and walking over to them. "I was starting to get worried."

"No need," Cheetor said. "We were fine. We got a little lost but Waspinator flew around and spotted the way out of the forest." he rubbed his arms. "I thought we'd _never_ get out of there. Why didn't Optimus send anyone to find us?"

"Sorry about that," Rhinox said, looking apologetic as he pushed his glasses back up his nose. "We would have, but we had something else on our minds."

The younger Maximal was a little offended. What could be more important than looking for onse comrades? "What was it?"

Rhinox explained. When he finished Cheetor stared at him, his mouth hanging open. "You-you mean that _thing _is still alive?" he gasped, shocked.

Rhinox nodded.

"And Optimus went after it? By_himself_?"

"No, not by himself. Megatron, Tigatron, and Inferno went with him."

The look Cheetor gave him told him that his answer didn't make things any better.

"Megatron isn't going to do anything to him," Rhinox told him. "He offered to help him with Protoform X. They're all out there trying to rescue a protoform from him."

Cheetor started making faces and Rhinox dropped the subject. "Don't bother going after him," he said, turning away from the blond and Waspinator who looked confused. "Not after you just got back. I suggest you get some rest."

"But-"

"Now!" the older man snapped, giving Cheetor a look that said he'd better not push it.

The young man got the hint and didn't say anything. He backed off and stalked away. Waspinator watched him go then stared at Rhinox. "Crazy-bot better leave Waspinator alone," he said, before he too walked away.

* * *

Finding Rampage was a bit harder to do than anyone thought. Tigatron was leading them in the direction he thought they had gone with Inferno close by, his flame thrower drawn and ready to fire at anything. Megatron walked beside Optimus who looked like he would rather be somewhere else. Megatron was enjoying the fact that he knew Maximals could sometimes be the bad guy and enjoyed hanging that knowledge over the Maximal's head.

"You know, Primal," he said, taking his hands out of his coat pockets to gesture better. "I find it _very_ amusing that you're so obsessed with the whole thing." he smirked, showing off some of his too white teeth. "None of this would have happened if you Maximals hadn't tried to copy Starscream's spark. I don't know why such a traitorous Decepticon had such an indestructible spark but I think it would have been best for his spark to be the only one like it."

Optuimus tried to ignore him, feeling another headache coming on. It was bad enough having Megatron come with them to find Rampage but the man's constant taunting was making things worse. "I _don't _want to talk about it," he said, putting his hand on his forehead. "I'm not feeling well."

Megatron's expression became amused. He was enjoying himself and didn't want to stop. "What's wrong, Primal?" he asked, leaning toward the other man to get a better look at his face. "Feeling guilty?"

Optimus peeked through his fingers and glared darkly at Megatron who was grinning like an idiot. "What would _I_ have to feel guilty about?" he asked.

"For creating such a problem, yesss," the Predacon replied, still smirking. " Even us_ Predacons _haven't done something so stupid."

Optimus said nothing to that. He dropped his hand and sighed. "Let's just keep searching."

"I know an easier way to find him," Megatron said, still grinning.

Primal eyed him wearily. "Oh really?"

"Yeeessss."

The Maximal faced Megatron, folding his arms, his face showing more tolerance than he felt. "All right then," he said. "Go ahead." _You'd better not be saying that just to make me feel like a fool. _

"Okay," Megatron said, reaching into the pocket. "I will but you'll have to apologize to me later."

"For what?"

"For being rude," he replied, turning his back on the man and looking over his shoulder to watch the Maximal's fascual expressions.

Optimus stared at him. Megatron was talking weird. "Just do whatever you're going to do to make finding him easier," he said in an exasperated voice.

"All right." With his hand still in his pocket he turned his back completely to the others and scanned the area. A few seconds later the sound of screaming echoed back at them. Megatron smiled when he heard the sound. "This way," he said, pointing toward the east. "Follow me."

* * *

Rampage was starting to say something to the woman when he felt a horrible pain in his chest. Though he tried to hold it in he couldn't hold in the screams and he crumpled over his hands over his chest. She watched him, her eyes showing both panic and confusion. "Friend hurt?" she asked.

"I am... fine..." he grunted, through clenched teeth.

The look on her face told him she didn't believe that. She knelt down and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her, about to snap at her, but didn't. Something in her eyes held him back. He stared at her a moment until another wave of pain washed over him and he fell over, screaming in agony. She stayed still, not knowing what to do.

The sound of voices made her look up. She saw four people coming toward them. Two she'd seen before, the man in the red armor with the crazed red eyes and the man in the white clothing with the peaceful feel to him. The other two, the ones wearing trench coats, she hadn't. She stood up slowly, eyeing the new people.

The man in the purple trench coat was smirking and saying something like. "See how easy that was?"

"I don't even want to know how you did that," the man in the dark gray trench coat shot back. "I'd probably regret finding out."

"I wasn't going to tell you anyway," the other man said in a hauty voice.

"At least we found them," the man in gray said, stepping forward. He looked over at the man in white. "Where's Silverbolt? I thought you said he followed them."

"I don't know," the other man replied. "Maybe he went the wrong way."

The man in gray shook his head and walked toward the woman. "Hello," he said to her, his voice soft and his hand out. He stepped away. "Don't be afraid. I'm Optimus Primal. We're not going to hurt you. "

She looked at him then down at Rampage. "Friend hurt," she said.

"Friend?" Megatron gaped at her. "Did that thing just say Rampage was its friend?!"

Optimus gave him a sever look. "She's not a_ thing_," he corrected and turned his attention back on the woman.

She was insistant. "Friend hurt," she said again.

"It's okay," Optimus said to her, stepping toward her with his hand out. "He's okay."  
Her face told him she wasn't sure she believed him. "Help friend," she said.

Rampage groaned and pushed himself up, glaring at the others. "I don't _need_ help," he snapped, the pain in his chest fading away. "I'm fine." he slowly stood up, putting himself between them and the girl. "We don't_ need _your help. Just stay away from us!"

They weren't about to do any such thing.

Suddenly another wave of pain shot through Rampage and he fell to the ground, holding his chest and trying to not scream too loudly. The woman watched him with with panic filled eyes and looked at Optimus. "Help friend!" she exclaimed.

"We will," Optimus promised her. He shot Megatron a look. "Whatever you're doing stop."

"But Prime," Megatron said, smoothly. "I thought you_ wanted _me to help you control him."

Optimus came dangerously close to loosing his temper and killing Megatron just then. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. "Just stop," he ordered.

Megatron did stop, but only because he wanted to, not because he'd been told to. Rampage pushed himself up, gasping for air.

Optimus shook his head "We'd better head back to the base now," he looked over at Tigatron and Inferno. "You two can carry Rampage."

"I don't want to carry that_freak_!" Inferno shouted.

Optimus, loosing his temper and in no mood for any kind of protests, stalked over to Inferno and got right into the other man's face. "Just do it!" he snapped.

Megatron watched the scene with a look of amusement. _What do we have here? _He'd never seen this side of Optimus before. It was very interesting. Inferno looked at his leader about to protest Optimus orders. Megatron shook his head, that smile still plastered on his features. "Better do what he says, Inferno," he told the man.

* * *

Silverbolt once again had full use of his wings. He flew low over the ground, searching for Rampage and the woman and covering more ground than if he had walked. "Where are they?" he asked himself out loud. "They can't have gotten far."

A short time later he spotted a convey of figures heading in the opposite direction he was going. Curious, he banked sharply and glided down to them. Upon closer inspection he discovered it was Optimus, Megatron, and four other people. Inferno and Tigatron, who were carrying Rampage who looked exsausted. The woman was walking beside Optimus and looked preoccupied.

"Hey!" he called to them, swooping down and landing in front of them. "Where did you come from? How did you find them?"

"Tigatron and Inferno told us what happened," Optimus replied, calmer than he had been only a short time ago. "We're on our way back to the base. I think you should be heading there too."

Silverbolt glanced at the woman. She met his eyes and smiled. "Friend!" she exclaimed, pointing at him.

"Yes," he said walking toward her and taking her hand. "I'm your friend." he looked at Optimus. "Please don't judge her. Tell her you won't judge her."

Optimus looked at Silverbolt then at the woman, sensing some kind of bond between them. "I won't judge," he said, not about to ruin the winged man's mood by worries. "But when we get back I'll need Rhinox to look her over, to make sure she's all right. Will you be okay with that?"

Silverbolt nodded.

Rampage, on the other hand, wasn't as understanding. "You keep away from her!" he screamed, trying to break loose from Inferno and Tigatron's grasp. "You'll do nothing of the-AAAAHHHHHHH!" he grabbed his chest when it started hurting again.

Optimus looked at Megatron who once again had his hand in his pocket. He looked like he couldn't possibly be responsible for the red haired mans' pain but Optimus knew better. "Stop that!" he shouted.

"Oh very well," Megatron siad, looking annoyed. He stopped squeezing the box in his pocket and the pain in Rampage's chest went away.

Optimus went back to the topic. "Let's get back to the base."

* * *

Blackarachnia and Quickstrike were still walking around the area near the _Axalon_. The black haired woman was getting preoccupied by the view as Quickstrike rambled on about something. She had never realized how lovely the waterfalls around the Maximal base really were. Now that she had the time to look at them she found the view very exilerating.

Quicksrike soon realized she wasn't listening to him and looked at what was distracting her, ready to demand to know what was so interesting. He never asked the question because he also found the view breath taking.

"Well I'll be a dried up tumble weed," he gasped. "That is some lovely scenery!"

"Yeah," she agreed, distractedly. "I never noticed it before."

He gave her a curious look. "Why not?"

"You weren't around during that time," she told him. "You were still in the atmosphere. The Maximals and us Predacons were in the middle of a war. I never had time to look at the view." she sighed. "I guess this weird change has _some_ advantages."

"I'll say!" he exclaimed, looking her over.

She made a face, not liking how he was staring at her. "We'd better be getting back," she said, turning from him and giving him a litte push as she did so. "I don't want them sending a search party after us."

Quickstrike took a few steps back, his expression one of confusion. "Was it something I said?" he asked.

She turned back to him sharply. "You think?" she snapped.

He took another step back, putting up his hands. "Sorry, sugar," he said. "No offense intended. It wasn't what it sounded like."

She didn't believe him. Snapping out a few choice phrases, she turned on her heel and stomped away in a huff, leaving the poor cowboy watching her go and feeling like he had just been dumped in the worst possible way.

"Aww slag," he muttered, putting his hands in the pockets of his frilled jacket and kicking a stone over the edge. "and just when I thought I had a good thing goin'."

_A/N_

_This whole thing is driving me nuts. At least I got another chapter done. Oh, my neck hurts so bad... ooohhh... ow.._

_Optimus is a bit out of character because he has to put up with living with Megatron now and Megatron and him have never gotten along anyway. It's something that amuses me greatly. _


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

"And what have _you_ been up to, Chopper-face?" a voice asked from the open doorway.

Dinobot, sitting at his computer, turned around with a look on his face that said he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't. That look instantly faded away when the taller man spotted Rattrap leaning against the frame of the doorway with his arms folded. "What do you want now, vermin?" he demanded, not in the mood to be bothered.

"I want to know what you're up to, Chopper-face," Rattrap replied, stepping into the room. He unfolded his arms and put his hands on his hips, his red eyes gave Dinobot a searching look. "You've been acting weirder than usual lately and I want to know why. I also want to know why Megatron cornered you in the hall like that."

Dinobot said nothing. He'd been hoping nobody had seen that. "That is none of your concern," he said, turning away.

Rattrap didn't believe that. He walked over to the taller man and grabbed the back of his chair. Jerking it around he got into Dinobot's blue face. "It_ is _my concern if you're changing loyalties again," he snapped. "If you are I won't be surprised. I always figured you'd do something like that."

Dinobot didn't like Rattrap being so close. He lifted a hand and shoved the smaller man away. Rattrap went back a few steps but didn't fall over, he regained his balance before he could. The former Predacon got out of his chair and loomed over him. "I would suggest that you mind your own business, vermin," he growled. "Do not get involved with things that do no concern you."

"So you _have_ changed your loyalties!" Rattrap exclaimed, not very surprised. "Don't try to lie to me. I can tell." he pointed a finger in the taller man's face. "I don't know what you're up to, _Predacon_, but, if it involves over throwing us, I'm not gonna stand around and let-"

A clawed blue hand clamped around his neck, cutting off any other words. Dinobot lifted Rattrap off the floor and regarded him with cold red eyes. "I am not planning on over throwing _anyone_, vermin," he snapped, his teeth clenched together. "and if you tell anyone I will deal with you the way I should have the first time I ever let you push me around."

"You wouldn't _dare_," Rattrap choked out, his hands on Dinobot's fist, trying to pry his fingers off his throat.

Dinobot smirked. "I would not?" he asked. "I do not think so." he let Rattrap go. The smaller man fell to the floor with a thunk. He glared up at Dinobot who stood over him like a giant blue and brown tree, his hands on his hips, his tail wagging agitatedly. "So go right ahead and tell them vermin," he told him. "If you do it will be the _last_ thing you ever do."

Rattrap said nothing. he stared up at that mocking face and something inside him snapped. With a yell he sprang from the floor and tackled Dinobot, knocking him into the computer desk. Dinobot's computer flew off the desk on impact and fell to the floor, the screen smashing into a million pieces on contact.

* * *

Airazor was crying. She didn't know why. She didn't even have a reason. She was on her way back to the base when the tears began to flow. Maybe it was because of the way Terrorsaur had looked at her, maybe it had been the words he said. Maybe it didn't even have anything to do with him. It didn't matter. She was crying. _This isn't me, _she thought to herself all the way back. _I shouldn't be acting this way. I shouldn't even be feeling this way. I have Tigatron. Why do I need him? He's a Predacon. I can't go to him. I can't hurt Tigatron like that. I can't. I just can't._

But she couldn't deny what she was feeling. It had nothing to do with her organic body, even though her body made the feelings more noticeable than before. She'd always felt that way toward him but never let herself think about it too much. After all, he _was_ a Predacon and she was a Maximal. It wouldn't work.

_So stop thinking about it. _she ordered herself. _Tigatron is your man. Terrorsaur would never be. Never. For all you know he isn't even interested. _

The thought of Tigatron didn't make her feel better. He was there and he loved her. But the change had changed him. He didn't exactly act the same anymore and he had his own problems. With Inferno.

She shook her head, scattering away all the irrational thoughts. It wasn't worth dwelling on. The base was just ahead. She wiped her eyes and tried to look normal. She hoped her face wasn't red from crying. She didn't want anyone to see her like that.

_Remember what you really are, _she told herself. _Get a grip. The last thing you need is to start acting like a human. _Taking a few deep breaths, she landed outside the base just as Blackarachnia came stalking toward it. She noticed the Predacon woman looked like she was ticked off about something. That wasn't anything new. Blackarachnia usually got ticked off about things. However, the female Maximal still had to wonder what had angered her _this _time.

Blackarachnia walked right past her and disappeared around the side of a large pile of stones. She would walk around for awhile, until she cooled off then head back to the base.

* * *

The group that had gone to find the new protoform had returned to the Axalon a few minutes before Aiazor touched down outside. At the moment most of them were in the control room ,including Rhinox. Inferno and Tigatron didn't hang around. Tigatron was tired and just wanted to lie down. Inferno, noticing Megatron was busy at the moment decided to wait to give his report and went off to clean his gun.

Rhinox was running an internal scan of the woman that considered both Rampage and Silverbolt her friend. When Rhinox had offered to do a scan of her to make sure she was healthy Silverbolt convinced her into letting them do it, even though Rampage threw a fit. Megatron had silenced him with a squeeze of the little box in his coat pocket. So far things looked okay but Rhinox was a little worried about something else he'd found. Something unusual that should not even be in her body.

A few minutes later he finished the scan and said to her. "You can get down now."

She climbed off the oval table in the center of the room where she'd been getting scanned but said nothing. The others had discovered that she didn't speak much and when she did it was usually just one or two words or very short sentences. Most of the time they weren't even sure she understood what was going on though something in her eyes said otherwise. She was a hard one to figure out. She walked over to Rampage who was sulking, leaning against a wall with his arms folded and glaring at everyone. He didn't look too happy about what they'd done to her. When he saw her approaching his expression softened a little. She gave him a slight smile.

"Let's get out of here," he said taking her hand.

"Hold it," Optimus told him. "She can't leave."

Rampage glared at him. "Why not?" he demanded. "You're all done with your little experimentation. There's no reason for her to stay here any longer."

"We're not finished yet," he replied. "Rhinox found something inside her. He wants to try and see if he can fix it."

Rampage glared at the other man. "No," he said. "You've done enough. I don't care about excuses. She is fine. There's no need for us to stay any longer."

"I'm afraid there is," Rhinox told him, looking up from the computer. "If we don't do something about it she could die."

_Die? _The red head said nothing._I don't want her to die. _The thought surprised him. Usually he took great pleasure in watching something die. He looked at the woman. She met his eyes but said nothing. He couldn't even read anything in them. They seemed to be blank. _She is too important to me to die. _

_Important to you? Since when has__**anything**__ been important to you? You're a murderer. You kill for the pleasure of seeing people suffer. Why should you care if one more being dies in front of you?_

_She's different, _he argued back.

_How?_

_I don't know. She just is. _

_You can relate to her pain. That's why. You know what she's going through. That's why she's so important._

_Yes. I guess that's it._

He tore his eyes from her and covered his face with his hand. He thought for a moment then decided something. He looked at the others. "Treat her with respect," he told the others. "Don't do anything to her that you wouldn't do to anyone else otherwise..." he pointed a finger at them all, his green eyes cold. "Otherwise you'll answer to me." Before anyone could reply he turned on his heal and stomped out of the room. _The first chance I get I'm taking her and getting out of here. _

Silverbolt watched him go then looked at Optimus. "Are you telling him the truth?" he asked.

Rhinox answered that one. "I wouldn't lie about something like this," he told him. He pointed at a hologram of the woman's body that he'd activated over the oval table in the middle of the room where the female had been standing. "See for yourself."

Silverbolt walked over to the table and put his hands on the surface, leaning forward for a better look. He stared at the holographic image of the woman for about ten minutes. He didn't know anything about the structure of the human body but the parts that didn't seem to belong were all flashing red, and there wasn't just one part. Many parts were that color, but they were scattered all over the place.

The man in white looked at the two Maximals. "Is all of this the problem?" he asked, pointing at the screen.

Rhinox nodded.

"What is it?"

"Metal."

"Metal?"

Rhinox explained. "It seems that whatever made us this way didn't affect her as much. Though she has a human form like the rest of us, small parts of her skeleton are made of metal."

"How do you plan on getting rid of it?" Silverbolt asked, horrified at the very thought.

"We don't."

Unwanted laughter filled the room just then. Optimus glared over at Megatron who was leaning against the wall near the elevators with his arms folded. He hadn't left the room and was watching and listening to the whole thing, enjoying everything he saw. Right now he saw smirking at Optimus. "So you lied to him," he said.

Optimus still wasn't in the mood to deal with Megatron's attitude, but Megatron seemed to want to stir things up. He pushed himself away from the wall and walked over to the table for a closer look. He studied the image, the smirk never leaving his face. "I see," he said absently. He turned his head and looked at the woman who hadn't left the room but didn't really look like she was paying attention to what was going on. "Looks like the little freak is a cyborg."

Silverbolt didn't like Megatron insulting the woman and, feeling defensive for her, aimed a punch at the man in purple. Megatorn saw it coming and grabbed the other man's fist. "She's not a freak," Silverbolt hissed at him. "Don't say such things."

Megatron frowned at him, unfazed by the outburst or the attempt to harm him. "I would advise you to take control of that temper of yours," he told him. "It could get you in trouble, yess." he let go of his fist and pushed him away.

Silverbolt took a few steps back, glaring at the Predacon. He looked like he wanted to try to punch Megatron again but Optimus held him back. "Don't," he told the man. "He's not worth it."

Silverbolt thought about that and nodded. "You're right," he said, lowering his fist. "He's not worth it."

Megatron glared at the two Maximals. "I'm not worth it," he snapped. "Fine. But I'm not the only one who isn't worth it." he glanced over at the woman who met his gaze but said nothing. "But she's not worth it either." and he stalked out of the room.

* * *

Even though he couldn't fly, Starscream was still able to cover a lot of ground very quickly. He wasn't very familiar with the land but something about it made him feel as if he'd been there before, in the future. That thought made him stop for a moment and stare at his surroundings. His mind began working speedily and answers came to him quickly. Starscream had always been smarter than people gave him credit.

_Earth? _he shook his head. _It can't be! Nothing looks the same. There are no buildings. I see no desert. _More answers began to form. _Did I go forward in time? Is this the future? _Something told him there was no way he was in the future. If he was in the future he would have seen some human besides the Maximals and Predacons. _The past? But how? How could I have gone back in time? _

He shook his head again scattering his thoughts. He didn't have time for this. He'd think about it some more after he found everyone.

_After all.. _he thought, moving once more. _This is more important!_

* * *

Blackarachnia didn't feel like going back inside the base just yet. She was still a little ticked off at Quickstrike's attempt at making a move on her and didn't really want to be confronted by anyone, especially Megatron if he was even in there. _He'll just say the wrong thing anyway, _she thought. _If he asks where I've been what would I be able to say to him? It's none of his business anyway._

She noticed Airazor coming in for a landing. She watched the female Maximal touch down on the rocky ground outside the base and head toward the elevators. _I wonder where she was? _she thought, watching the other woman. She thought about confronting the other woman but decided against it. Airazor wasn't a pushover. She wouldn't tell her anything without a fight.

She walked past Airazor who had stopped to watch her go by. Neither woman said anything.

* * *

Cheetor heard the commotion coming from Dinobot's room and ran to investigate it. When he opened the door he found Rattrap and Dinobot brawling on the floor. They looked like they'd been at it for quite some time because both men were covered in bruises and were bleeding in some places. The young man watched them fight for a moment, not sure if he should make a move to stop them or not. Dinobot and Rattrap always seemed to get into it with each other but they never resorted to beating each other up. Something wasn't right here.

"What is going on here?" Cheetor exclaimed, after a moment, realizing they might kill each other if he didn't. "Stop fighting! We're all on the same side!"

The two stopped beating up on each other and looked up. When they saw the younger Maximal they quickly moved away from each other but kept on casting angry glances back and forth. Cheetor stared at the bruises and scratches on both then asked. "What in Primus are you two _doing_? Why are you fighting?"

Rattrap spoke first. He pointed a bruised finger at Dinobot who was glaring daggers at him and growling under his breath. "He's a traitor, spots!" he told the younger man.

Cheetor's huge yellow eyes got bigger. "A traitor?" he said. He looked at Dinobot. "Is this true?"

The older man didn't look at Cheetor. Instead he focused all his attention on a bruise on his arm and said nothing. Cheetor stared at him. He knew he wasn't going to get Dinobot to admit anything to him. He wasn't Optimus. He had no authority over the raptor. Instead he decided to try and get some information out of Rattrap instead. Rattrap had a big mouth and was more likely to spill the beans on someone. "What do you mean he's a traitor?" he asked the shorter man.

Rattrap kept on pointing at the stony silent Dinobot. "He's switchin' sides again," he accused. "He's tryin to stab us in the back."

"How do you know?"

Rattrap stared at Cheetor with a look of shock on his face. "Just look at me!" he exclaimed, gesturing at the many bruises he'd sustained. "Do you think somebody who isn't a traitor would do this to me?"

"With the two of you I wouldn't be surprised," Cheetor said. "But that really isn't proof and I doubt Optimus would believe you if you told him."

"But he _is _a traitor!" Rattrap protested. "He told me."

Dinobot gave him a fierce look. "I did no such thing, vermin," he snarled. "Do not resort to lies just to prove yourself right."

Cheetor looked back and forth between the two. He didn't know who to believe. "Maybe I should let Optimus know about this..," he said.

"You will not tell him," Dinobot snapped, casting his furious glance at the blond. "He does not _need _to know."

"I think he _does_," Rattrap said, still pointing his finger. "He needs to know what a_ traitor _you are!"

A dangerous look crossed over the taller man's face. Cheetor got the feeling Rattrap had better be careful in what he said. "Go ahead," Dinobot said in a low voice. "By all means, _tell _him."

Rattrap opened his mouth to retort but Cheetor grabbed his arm. "I think we'd better go," he started yanking the protesting Rattrap out of the room. "I'm sure he's sorry for what he said."

"I am _not_!" Rattrap shouted.

Cheetor just kept on dragging him out of the room. Once they were in the hall and a safe distance from Dinobot's room Rattrap shook himself loose and faced Cheetor. "What did you do that for?" he demanded.

Cheetor's eyes were bugged out and he looked scared. "Didn't you see the look on his face?" he asked.

The smaller man hadn't. "What about it?"

"He looked like he was going to kill you."

"Kill me?" Rattrap laughed it off. "There's no way he can kill _me_," he said, pinting at himself. "Badly damage me but _not_ kill me."

Cheetor shook his head. "Have you forgotten?" he asked. "We're not robots anymore." he pointed at his own flesh covered hand. "If he attacked you the way he looked like he wanted to in this kind of body he wouldn't just damaged you, he would kill you."

Any reply Rattrap was going to say died out before he even voiced it. He'd forgotten about that. Cheetor had just saved his life. "Oh.." then he shook his head and tried to shrug it off. "Ah, he's never do something like that."

Cheetor wasn't so sure.

* * *

Starscream perched on the top of a large pile of stones and focused all his attention on the Maximal research ship in the distance. He was still a pretty good distance away but it didn't matter. It wouldn't take him long to cover the rest of the distance. For now he stayed where he was, letting his sharp eyes search for any activity around the ship. So far all he'd seen was a woman with short brown hair and billowing wings go inside. He didn't know her name but he knew she wasn't one of the people he had a beef with, even though he'd encountered her recently, her and the pale skinned man with the red hair.

Right now he only wanted to run into at least one of three people. Optimus Primal, Megatron, or the female spider Blackarachnia. Blackarachnia most of all. She'd betrayed him. She wasn't going to get away with that. The very memory made his blood boil and a growl escaped his throat as he clenched his fists in frustration.

_Stupid fembot!_

Just then he noticed a figure coming his way far below his perch. He crouched down and peeked over the side to get a better look but not be spotted. What he saw was a woman in a black and yellow outfit with long, black, wavy hair, walking toward the rock formation he was perched on. She looked upset and didn't even notice him peeking down at her.

He knew who she was.

It wasn't hard to figure out who she was. He remembered a Blackarachnia had the same colors on her body. It seemed she had become a human too. The sight of her just made him angrier but he saw his chance to get back at her. When she was directly under him he jumped down from his perch and landed behind her. She froze when she heard the sound of his feet touching the ground and turned around. Starscream reached out and grabbed her arm. He moved so fast she didn't have time to fight back. The next second he shoved her face into the stone wall. She struggled against his hold but he didn't let go, he just shoved her into the stones harder. Eventually she stopped, realizing trying to get away was only hurting her worse.

When Starscream was sure she wouldn't try to get away he leaned forward and hissed into her ear. "Hello, traitor."

She did not recognize that voice. "Who are you?" she demanded.

Starscream smashed her face against the wall again. "You know who I am," he hissed. "Or have you already forgotten about the Decepticon you betrayed?"

"I don't-" she stopped. Wait! Decepticon? The answer came to her like a revelation. "Starscream?"

"So you_ do _remember me, female," he said, smirking. "Too bad for you it won't do you any good."

"What do you mean?"

"As if you don't already know," he snapped. "I don't like being betrayed by people. I don't take that sort of thing too well. You should have thought of that before you did."

He was going to kill her, that was easy enough to figure out. How, she didn't know. She did not want him to do any such thing. Maybe she could figure out a way to keep him from harming her. "Is this why you came back?" she asked him. "So you can make me pay for betraying you?"

"One of the reasons," he told her. "But don't get vain. _You're _not the only one I have a vendetta against."

It was easy to figure out who he meant. "Optimus and Megatron?" she asked.

"Aren't you smart," he said sarcasticly. "Yes those are the other two. Once I deal with you they're next."

"So you don't want to seek revenge against Waspinator?" she asked.

He laughed at that. "Why would I want to seek revenge against my former puppet?" he asked. "_He_ didn't do anything to make me angry."

"Even though his body was weak?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder and meeting his eyes. "Even though he wasn't _good _enough?"

He glared at her. "So," he said. "You're blaming him for me not being able to defeat them?" he asked. "Are you saying I should have chosen someone_ else_?"

She smirked. "Would it have made any difference?" she asked. "If Waspinator hadn't been the one working at the control panel would you have possessed someone else?"

"You mean like _you?" _he asked and make a disgusted face. "I would _never_ waste my time possessing a female body."

"I didn't mean me," she said. "I meant someone else. Someone who is just like you."

"Why do you even care who it was?" he demanded.

"Because it probably would have ended up differently," she told him.

He growled at her and shoved her against the wall again. "Just shut up about it," he ordered. "I don't need to be reminded about it."

She grunted in pain then forced herself to turn around, though it just increased the pain in her arm. She faced him the best she could. "Don't bother trying to get revenge on them," she told him. "I see you have the same kind of body as the rest of us. You have no advantage."

"Oh but I_ do_," he told her, smirking. "and just to prove I'm not lying I'll let you live long enough to see it."

_A/N_

_I finaly updated. I'm sorry these take so long. I have a lot of distractions and I get writer's block. I alos want to write a Transformers Aniamted fic but so far have no ideas. All well. Maybe if I watch a few more episodes. Anyway. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. _


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

It was very unlikely that Tarantulas was going to get out of the base in the condition he was in. But so far nobody had noticed him, though he was stumbling around the base, leaning against walls to keep his weight even and not put too much on his leg. He wondered for a moment what was going on but pushed the thoughts out of his mind. That wasn't important. What was important was in his lair. He needed to get to it before someone else decided to try and find the lair. But first he had to get out of the base. Getting out of the base was the hard part. Mostly because he ran the risk of meeting Maximals that thought they knew what was best for him. Sure, he got injured severely by a nutcase that laughed more than he did and enjoyed breaking limbs and seeing his victims sqiurm...

_He reminds me of me, _the mad scientist thought, chuckling to himself at the thought. _Maybe I should try to get to know him better..._

From a safe distance.

He was slowly making his way down the hall, being careful not to put too much pressure on his broken leg, when he heard the fight in Dinobot's room. He stood still, listening then watched Cheetor go inside and Rattrap come out a short time later. He was close enough to hear the entire conversation and, for some reason, the entire thing made him smile. When Cheetor and Rattrap were out of sight he hobbled over to Dinobot's room and peeked his head inside. He saw the blue skinned man meticulously wrapping up the wounds he'd been inflicted during his fight with Rattrap. The taller man looked up when he heard an unwelcome tittering coming from the doorway. His expression grew harder when he spotted the mad scientist peeking in with that stupid grin on his face.

"What do you want, spider?" he snapped, not in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Oh nothing," the scientist said with that grin still plastered on his face. "I just happened to over hear the vermin telling the pussy cat that you're a traitor." he leaned against the door for support and met the other man's eyes. "I wonder what could have given him such an idea?" he asked. "Especially after all you went through to betray us the first time."

"It is none of your business, spider," Dinobot snapped, getting up and walking over to him, his fists clenched and at his sides. "I would suggest you go back to the infirmary and rest otherwise you might end up with worse injuries than you already have."

Tarantulas glared at him. "Are you threatening me?" he demanded.

Dinobot leaned his face close and smirked. "What do you think?" he asked in a cold voice.

Tarantulas thought he had business elsewhere and stepped away from the door. As he hobbled away he could feel Dinobot's red eyes boring into his back.

* * *

Megatron went to find Dinobot. His mind was on a previous topic and he was determind to find out all he needed to know before he dropped it. Having been given the Golden Disc and knowing where the Alien Disc was did not mkake him feel better. There was still a few things bothering him, a few things he felt Dinobot hadn't told him. _But he will tell me, if he knows what good for him, yess._

He knew where Dinobot's room was but by the time he got there Dinobot had already left. _Slag! Now where has he gone? _

Just then Scorponok came around the corner looking distracted, his shaded eyes to the floor. When he looked up he stopped when he saw his leader. Megatron looked at him, the scowl on his face growing deeper. "And where have you been hiding?" he demanded.

"Uh..." the man in gray stammered. "I've been here."

"I know that," Megatron snapped. "But what have you been doing?"

"I've been working on something," he replied, a little nervous and Megatron's piercing gaze. "With the truce going on I don't have anything else to do."

Megatorn's face softened. "Well then," he said, folding his arms. "What have you been working on?"

Scorponok had been standing with his hands behind his back. Now he brought them forward and showed Megatron what he was holding. The dark skinned man stepped forward and leaned toward it for a closer look. "Well well," he said, smiling slightly. "So you _have_ been busy." he took the item out of his second in commands hand, a small robot that looked like a bee, and examined it. "This could come in handy, yess."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Scorponok said. "But before you use it I think we should test it out to make sure it works."

Megatron nodded, agreeing with that idea. "Test it out," he said, handing it back to the shorter man. "When its ready let me know. It will come to good use soon enough."

* * *

"How do you plan on getting the metal out of her body if it's a part of her skeleton?" Silverbolt demanded.

"I don't know, yet," Rhinox admitted, looking at the hologram one more time. "I've never done this sort of thing before, but, if we don't remove it, she could die."

"Could or will?" another voice demanded from the doorway.

The three Maximals turned toward the speaker. Rampage had returned and he looked like he was doing his best to control his emotions, though his green eyes were not as easy. They betrayed the anger he was feeling more than any words could. "And what makes you think something like that could happen?"

"I've never heard of a human living with metal in their body," Rhinox began.

"Then you don't know very much," Rampage cut him off. "I might not look like it but I happened to do some research on humans. Many have had metal inserted in their bodies and they live just fine."

"Not this way," Optimus told him. "Her skeleton is half metal and half bone."

"I don't care _what_ it's made of," the red head cut him off. "You're not doing anything to her."

"Rampage," Optimus began.

Rampage was across the room in seconds. He grabbed Optimus by the front of his shirt and shoved him against the wall. Now that he had eye contact he let his emotions flow freely and all his pent up anger seethed out when he spoke in a stone hard voice. "I said you're not doing anything to her," he hissed. "She's not going to go through what I have had to go through. None of you seem to understand this!"

Optimus stared into those cold green eyes a moment before speaking, his voice quivering slightly though he tried his best to control it. "We're not going to hurt her," he said, trying to be reasonable."

"That's what you said to me!" Rampage growled. "I willingly gave myself up for that fool experiment and look what happened to me!" for some reason the thought made him smile. A bitter smile. "I don't want to hear anything come out of your lying mouth!"

"Hey!" Rhinox shouted, getting over his shock and stepping forward. "Stop that! There's no need for that!"

Rampage's smile didn't go away as he let go of Optimus and stepped away from him. "Just don't ever go outside by yourself in the middle of the night."

Optimus said nothing and Rampage disgustedly let him go. He turned his attention back to the woman who was sitting in one of the chairs listening to the conversation and walked over to her taking her hand. "I'm not leaving her here with you," he informed them all. Once again glaring at Primal. "She doesn't need to go through what I have," He helped her to her feet. "We're leaving."

Silverbolt made a move to stop him. "Don't you dare!" he shouted. "You let her alone."

Optimus held the man back. Rampage stared at both of them with cold eyes. '"If any of you follow us I will kill you," he snapped.

None of the Maximals moved but Optimus tried talking him out of it, from a safe distance, though he knew it wouldn't do any good. "Rampage, you can't take her out there," he said refering to the outdoors. "She's not strong enough to-"

"If I was you," the other man cut him off. "I would worry about my own people." then he lifted the woman off the floor and headed to the elevator. Before he stepped inside he turned his head to give them all another cold look. "Let me worry about her from now on."

Optimus pushed Silverbolt aside gently and cautiously walked over to Rampage. The other man watched him with cold eyes, ready to climb into the elevator with the woman. "I don't think that would be a good idea," he said. "She would not survive out there."

"_I'll_ be the judge of that," Rampage snapped. "She is _not_ your responsibility! She never was!"

"Actually she_ is_," Primal corrected him. "She's a Maximal that came from a Maximal stasis pod. Whatever happens to her is my responsibility."

"Just like you were given responsibility over me?" Rampage growled. "Responsibility of dropping me off on some Primus forsaken wasteland!"

"We had reasons and we still do," Optimus told him. "You might be acting sane right now but I think that's only because Megatron has some kind of hold on you."

Rampage smirked. "He won't have that for very long," he said. "And when he no longer does he will be the first to go." he chuckled, enjoying the thought of inflicting pain. "After you of course."

Optimus couldn't help shivering at the murderous look in the red head's eyes. _I don't know what kind of hold Megatron has on him but I hope he can keep it, for his own sake, and mine. _

* * *

Starscream, with a firm grip on Blackarachnia, continued his trek to the _Axalon_. He held the spider woman in front of him and close to his body, his arm around her neck. She had her hands on his jacket sleeve, trying in vain to loosen the strangle hold. Starscream wasn't going to let go of her that easily.

"I know you're going to kill me but can you at least stop crushing my windpipe," she gasped, trying to breathe.

"Shut up!" he ordered. "Be happy I'm letting you live this long." he pressed her closer to him. "Now stop struggling!" She stopped moving. "That's better."

A short time later they arrived at the_Axalon_. Starscream looked up at the ship, studying it for a moment. "I know better than to just come right in," he said, thinking out loud. "If I want to get my revenge I'll have to do it by surprise."

"More like how a coward does it," Blackarachnia spoke up.

"Shut up!" Starscream ordered, glaring at her. "I didn't ask for your opinion." He looked the ship over again then asked. "Is there another way in?"

"Yes," she said. "But I'm not going to tell you where it is."

He frowned, not liking her answer. "Oh really?" he led her over to the edge and then hung her there by one hand, the one had had clasped around her neck.

She screamed and grabbed his arm with both hands. "Don't drop me!"  
"I won't drop you," he told her. His mouth turned up in a smirk. "If you tell me where the entrance is."

"No!"

"All right." he let her throat go.

She screamed and fell downward her hands grasping Starscream's arm in a death grip. He felt her weight pulling him down but kept his balance, though he had to strain.

The dark haired woman held onto the Decepticon's arm for dear life, knowing if she lost her grip she'd fall to her death. She mentally kicked herself for thinking he was bluffing. Starscream didn't bluff. "Pull me up!" she screamed.

"Not unless you agree to show me where the other entrance is," he shouted.

"Fine!" she exclaimed, feeling her grip loosening. She didn't have any other option. "You win! I'll show you!"

Starscream smiled with satisfaction and pulled her up. When she was back on solid ground he grabbed her arm to keep her standing. "Now, my dear," he said, already walking. "Show me where this entrance is."

* * *

Waspinator was wondering around the Maximal base, doing nothing in particular when he noticed Tigatron in one of the rooms. The man in white and black was leaning over something and seemed to be working on some project. Curious, the Predacon stepped into the room and watched the Maximal for a moment.

Tigatron finally noticed him and asked, not looking up from his work. "Yes, is there something you want, Predacon?"

"No," the other man said. "Waspinator was just wondering what Tiger-bot was doing."

Tigatron looked up from his work, his face was covered in grime. "I'm trying to make this work," he replied, pointing down at the thing he'd been working on. It looked like some kind of seat white a hole full of water in it. "Since we're going to stay in these bodies for awhile I figured we might as well have working bathrooms."

Waspinator cocked his head, making a face at the strange word. "Bathrooms?"

Tigatron nodded. "Yes, for when you have to "go"."

"Go?"

Tigatron gave him a look. "You have no idea what I'm talking about do you?" he asked.

Waspinator shook his head. "Tiger-bot will explain?"

Tigatron looked away. Explaining such a thing would be awkward. It was way too embarrassing and what if someone walked by and heard him? "Close the door," he said.

"Why?"

"Just close it."

"All right." the Predacon turned and pressed the button to close the door.

When Tigatron was satisfied nobody would hear him, he began to explain.

* * *

Dinobot had gone for a short walk then returned to his room to work on his computer. When he was finished with it a few minutes later he shut it down before getting up and stretching. As he did he heard a cracking noise in his back and froze. What in the world was that? It didn't sound good. Had he done something to himself? Slowly he straightened himself out but felt no pain. Nothing was wrong so why had his back made such a sound? Maybe he should tell Rhinox about it. Maybe he could see what was wrong.

He decided to do so and stepped out of the room. As soon as he came out he found himself face to face with Megatron who had gone back to his room to see if he'd returned yet.

"So _that's_ where you've been hiding," Megatron said, folding his arms. "I should have known you'd eventually come back to your room to sulk."

Dinobot wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, especially not Megatron. He tried to step around him but the other man just moved when he moved. "Where do you think _you're_ going?" he demanded. "I'm not finished talking to you."

"I am busy," Dinobot snapped at him. "I do not have time for you right now." he tried again to step around him.

Megatron blocked his way again, not about to let him get away that easily. "What could you possibly be busy with?" he demanded. He gave the man in brown a careful once over. "You don't have anything with you."

Dinobot glared at the Predacon leader. "It is not any of your business what I am doing," he informed him. "I do not have to tell you."

Megatron smirked. "Oh really?"

The next second Megatron had Dinobot by the throat. He slammed him against the wall. "If you're planning on pulling another double cross I have every right to know!" he growled. "I'm getting sick of you always changing you alligience just to hide behind someone. Now you either stay a Predacon like you're supposed to or go crawling back to the Maximals. You can't be_both_, Dinobot. And if you keep this up I'll make sure you don't become either one again!"

Dinobot met Megatron's eyes. When he spoke his voice was calm. "I have always been a Predacon," he told him calmly. "It does not matter who I am loyal to. I have not changed. I will always be what I am."

Megatron glared at him, his breath hissing in and out of his mouth. His mind processed what Dinobot had said. He did not believe it. He didn't believe it for a second. He brought his face closer to Dinobot's and said in a low voice. "Let me make myself clear, Dinobot," he hissed, his magenta colored eyes cold. "I don't know what kind of games you're playing but don't think I won't be keeping an eye on you, yess. You might say you have always been a Predacon but I find that hard to believe and don't tell me you haven't changed. I know you have."

"Think what you will."

That statement only made Megatron madder. "Now you listen to me-" he began to shouted.

"What are you doing?!" a voice demanded.

Megatron froze, and turned his head. Airazor stood a few feet away staring at him. _Blast! How much of this did she see?! _He let go of Dinobot's throat and turned to the female Maximal, a nervous smile plastered on his face. "Uh, nothing," he told her. "We were just discussing something."

She gave him a look that said she didn't believe him in the slightest but nodded and said. "Okay."

Megatron cast a warning glare at Dinobot, a clear indication that their little discussion wasn't over yet, then walked down the hall, brushing past the female Maximal as he did so. Airazor watched him go then turned her attention back to Dinobot who was rubbing his throat with his hand, his teeth clenched together as he glared at nothing. "Are you all right?" she asked him, walking over to him.

"I am fine," he told her, not looking at her. She put out her hand but he deflected it. "Leave me alone," he growled. "He did not hurt me."

She pulled her hand back. "I was only trying to help," she said, sounding offended. "You don't need to get mad at me."

He looked at her. She was giving him an annoyed look. He couldn't blame her for what had happened. It wasn't her fault. "I apologize," he told her. "You are right. It is not your fault."

"Why was he doing that to you anyway?" she wanted to know.

Dinobot ignored the question, moving his hand away from his throat and asking a question of his own. "Why have you been spending a lot of time with Terrorsaur?"

The question surprised her and for a moment she couldn't say anything. Dinobot wasn't really being nosy but Airazor couldn't help feeling that he was prying. "Why are you asking?" she wanted to know. "Is there something wrong with me talking to him?"

"No," he told her, looking down at her. "It just seems strange that you are talking to him all of a sudden. I thought you hated him."

She looked away. "I _never _said that," she replied. "But we are from two different fractions so we couldn't really socilalize before."

"Would you have wanted to?"

She didn't answer.

He folded his arms and sighed. "I am not trying to pry into your business," he told her. "I am just warning you to be careful if you decide to make something out of it."

"There's nothing to make out of it," she said quickly. "and there never was."

Dinobot wasn't sure he believed that but he said nothing. She would deny it anyway.

* * *

Terrorsaur had finally cooled down. He'd been so upset by what Starscream had said that he'd needed to spend some time alone. Blowing off help from Airazor had made him feel guilty for a few moments but only a few. He didn't care about her feelings anyway. After walking about in the woods for a few hours he finally started feeling better. So what if Starscream didn't care that he admired him? It wasn't a big deal. The only person that egomaniac admired was himself.

_Slag headed power hungry egomaniac! What do I need him for anyway? _He folded his arms and looked into the sky. "He would just use me then dump me anyway. It's best if I try to take over by myself but..." he looked at his hands. Pale flesh colored, useless hands. "I can't do anything in this body. I don't know what caused this and I probably never will but I hope it wears off soon. Before I go crazy." he closed his fists and looked around himself. He knew the area. He'd been there before._At least my brooding and thoughtless wondering didn't get me lost._his wings billowed out and he rose into the air, hovering over the trees and getting a good look around. He noted the position of the sun. _I'd better head back. I don't want to get stuck out here in the dark. _He sighed. _Back to the Maximals. I'd still be sleeping in my own room in my own base if Inferno hadn't of attacked those two protoforms and gotten himself mangled and then that thing has to come and tear up Tarantulas. _he started back to the base._Why does every new person that comes along have to do something to make our little truce with the Maximals last longer. _He glared at nothing. _If I didn't know any better I'd think Primus had something to do with this!_

* * *

"Let go of me!" Blackarchnia growled, still trying to free herself from Starscream's hold. "We're inside the base. There's no need to keep groping me like that."

Starscream gave her a disgusted look. "I'm not _groping_ you," he snapped. He pushed her away from him but kept a tight hold on her arm. "Happy now?"

She still didn't like him holding onto her but at least he wasn't pressing her against his body anymore. "No," she snapped back.

"Well too bad," he told her, pushing her down the hall. "I'm not letting you out of my sight even if that means I have to hold onto you the whole time."

The two had climbed into the ship from the other entrance that nobody was supposed to know about except the two spiders and Inferno. They were in the lower parts of the ship so they wouldn't run into anyone.

She turned to glare at him. In the dim light his eyes seemed to be glowing. It looked strange on a face now made of flesh and a little creepy, she looked away. "What do you think I'm going to do?" she demanded. "Run off and warn Megatron about you?"

He laughed that evil sounding, high pitched, hysterical laugh. "That is exactly what I think you'll do," he told her, shoving her along. "I don't trust you, my dear. I learned a lot since our last encounter."

She moved forward before she lost her balance. Well it looked like she wasn't going to pull one over on him again. They reached a flight of stairs and he pushed her ahead of them. She mounted the steps and climbed them, completely aware of the iron grip on her arm and the glowing red eyes on the back of her head. _I'm not going to put up with this much longer, _she thought, grinding her teeth. _Starscream isn't going to keep his hold on me for much longer. I just have to wait for the right time to deal with him..._

She stopped on the landing on the top of the stairs. Starscream stepped onto it behind her and reached out and pressed the open button. With a hiss the door slid sideways and he shoved her ahead of him into the hall of the upper floors. "Let's go," he ordered.

_A/N_

_I apologize for updating late. This fic is getting harder to update mostly because I got other fics to work on and finally finish. I'm thinking of bringing in Ravage soon but first I got to have Starscream try to take out Megatron. lol. Stay tuned._


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Scorponok, who was on his way outside to test out his new cyberbee, came upon Tigatron and Waspinator working on their little project in the soon to be dubbed "bathrooms". He stepped into the room and stared at the two through his yellow tinted glasses. They were making a racket and talking, civilly, over the noise. "If we can get these working we won't have to go outside when we start feeling uncomfortable." Tigatron was explaining.

"Tiger-bot is smart," Waspinator said. "How did Tiger-bot ever figure this out?"

Tigatron sounded embarrassed as he said a little hesitanetly. "I learned from experience."

Waspintor looked up from his work and stared at the white clothed Maximal. "Did Tiger-bot-"

"What are you two doing?" Scorponok asked before Waspinator could finished his question. 

The two looked away from their work and over their shoulders. They spotted Scorponok behind them, leaning against the door jam, his arms folded and his yellow eyes hidden behind his glasses. For a moment the two on the floor didn't give him an answer. By the looks on their faces he got the feeling that they didn't want to answer. 

"Well?" he asked again.

Waspinator looked up at him, smiling stupidly. "Uh.. Tiger-bot calls them toilets," he said, snickering at the word.

The man in gray stared at the other Predacon like he'd lost his mind. 'Toilets?" he said. "What in Primus is a toilet?"

Tigatron went back to his work, muttering. "If you had researched humans at all you'd know."

"Huh? Are you saying I'm _stupid_?"

The Maximal leaned back, undoing the belt holding his white and black striped robe shut. He wiggled out of it and set it aside. He wore a long sleeved green shirt under it. He rolled up the sleeves so they wouldn't get dirty. "I never said you were stupid," he told the Predacon, his tiger tail tapping the floor impatiently. "I'm just saying that maybe you should do some research on humans. I don't feel like explaining toilets to you. It's not something that would make good conversation."

"Unless you're a plumber-bot," Waspinator spoke up, giggling. 

Scorponok raised an eyebrow and gave him a look. "Right..."

Tigatron and Waspinator went back to work. Scorponok stood there a moment longer watching them finally he said. "Umm..."

The two looked up at him.

He met their gaze. "Can I help?"

"Why?" Tigatron asked.

He shrugged. "I don't have anything better to do," he replied. "and what I was going to do can wait a bit longer. Do you mind?"

"No," the Maximal said. "Go ahead. I don't mind. The more the better and the quicker we can get this done."

"Thanks," Scorponok said shrugging out of his jacket. "Now how can I help?"

* * *

Starscream shoved Blackarachnia ahead of him as the two headed quietly down the hall to the control room. So far they hadn't run into anybody, which was a good thing for the former Decepticon Air Commander but a bad thing for the Predacon woman. 

"Ow!" she exclaimed when Starscream stomped down on one of Blackarachnia's arm streamers. "Don't do that!"

Starscream stopped and looked down at his feet. He saw an orange piece of material under his foot. When he followed the length of it he saw it was attached to her arm but didn't get why him stepping on it had hurt her. "What are you owing for?" he demanded. "It's not like I stepped on your_real_ arm!"

"That's a part of my arm, you idiot," she snapped, jerking her arm to free it. "Now get your foot off it!"

He stared at her a moment but did move his foot. The streamer thing moved on its own accord away from him. It wrapped itself loosely around Blackarachnia's leg. "Don't tell me that thing was _alive_!" he exclaimed.

"Fine I won't," she said huffily. "But you'd better not step on them again."

"I have half a mind to do it again if you keep that up." Starscream glared at her and gave her a push. "Keep moving," he snapped.

She kept moving.

* * *

Optimus Primal watched the elevator lower itself down and outside of the _Axalon_. Inside the lift was Rampage and the woman protoform that he didn't know the name of. It had never given him its name and now he'd never know. Primal had tried to reason with Rampage but it hadn't done any good. Rampage was not going to listen and had climbed into the elevator and left the base. He probably wouldn't come back. He was now loose on a unsuspecting planet. Primus help the unsuspecting transformer that encountered him. 

Silverbolt wasn't happy about it either. He would have gone after them if Optimus hadn't held him back. "Why did you let them leave?" he demanded, turning on his superior. "You shouldn't have let him take her!"

"What did you want me to do, Silverbolt?" Optimus wanted to know. "Rampage isn't the easiest person to stop. You out of all people should know that."

Silverbolt stopped, his mind going back to his first encounter with the psychopath. He shivered involuntarily. "I know that," he told Primal. "But I'm worried about the woman. What if he does something to her?"

"You might fine this hard to believe but I don't think he will," Primal told him, the older man's attention going back to the lift. "If he wanted to he would have already..."

* * *

Megatron headed back to the control room. He knew he wasn't going to get anything more out of Dinobot and that meant he would have to deal with him. _But not here, no, _he thought. _Not while we're in the Maximal's ship. That would be too dangerous. When I deal with him I'll have to make it look like an accident and that can't be done here with so many of us. _He stopped walking and put his hand to his chin thoughtfully. "I'll convince him to come outside, yes. I'll get him to go for a walk..." A plan began to form in his mind and he smiled. "Not a bad idea...but it'll have to wait. I have something more important to deal with right now." _and I need to give this more thought. There's no way Dinobot would willingly go anywhere with me. He's smarter than he looks._

He dropped his hand and put his hands in the pockets of his purple trench coat and started walking again. "I wonder if Rampage is still around? Hopefully Prime didn't let him leave so soon. I have a few words I want to say to him, yes."

0000000

"I want to follow them," Silverbolt told Optimus after a moment of silence.

Optimus shook his head.That was a bad idea. "I advice against it," he told him. "Rampage wouldn't hesitate to kill you if he saw you."

"But I can't just let him take her away," Silverbolt told him. "I would never forgive myself if something happened to her."

"And I would never forgive myself if something happened to _you_!" the other Maximal told him. "I'm responsible for the well being of everyone here, except the Predacons, and-"

Silverbolt cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Save it, Prime," he snapped. 'This is something I must do." he turned.

"Silverbolt!" Optimus called after him. "He'll kill you!"

But the other man wasn't listening. He turned his back to Primal and stepped into the elevator. The Maximal leader watched helplessly as elevator lowered Silverbolt out of the ship.

"Having problems with your subordinates?" a voiced asked at a totally inappropriate time.

Optimus turned to glare at Megatron who was standing in the doorway with his arms folded. He smirked at the Maximal. "Looks like not everyone will blindly follow your orders, Primal, no."

Optimus felt his headache returning. Why did Megatron always have to get under his skin? "What do you want now, Megatron?" he asked in a strained voice. 

"I need to talk to you about something," the Predacon told him. 

_What is it now? _Primal wondered._Why does he keep on bothering me? Does he enjoy making me miserable? Why am I asking myself that? Of course he does. He likes to rub it in whenever something happens. Especially when my subordinates give me a hard time. Of course he doesn't care about it, even though his are constantly plotting behind his back. He's used to it. I should be too especially because of Dinobot. But Dinobot's a Predacon too. It seems Predacons have the habit of being trouble sometimes. _"I don't have time for this," the Maximal told him impatiently. 

"What else do you have to do?" Megatron asked. "Without our little war to entertain you you don't have anything to do."

"I'm an explorer!" Primal snapped. "Maybe I should go out and see what I can discover."

Megatron laughed. "Don't forget the last time you did something like that, yes," he reminded him. 

Optimus would never forget it. He turned his back to Megatron so the man couldn't see the angry expression on his face. Rhinox saw it though, but said nothing. He just pushed his glasses up his nose and stood up, pushing past Megatron and heading into the hall. He had a feeling the two fraction commanders needed a moment alone to vent. He also didn't want to get involved in a fight between them if they started arguing. It might be a foolish idea to leave them alone together but he figured, with the truce, they wouldn't kill each other. _Optimus wouldn't do something like that anyway but I'm not too sure about Megatron._

Megatron turned his head and watched Rhinox go, the smirk never leaving his face. He had a feeling he knew why the man had left and didn't really blame him for doing so. He looked over at Optimus, who still had his back to him. "You can keep your back to me all you want, Primal," he said. "But I'm still going to say what I need to say."

'Then say it," Optimus said, still refusing to turn around. 

Megatron frowned. "Come come," he said, sounding hurt. "I never turn my back to you when you talk to me. The least you could do it do the same thing, yes."

Optimus grudgingly turned around. He glared darkly at Megatron and folded his arms, leaning his back against the wall. "Speak your piece."

The Predacon put his hands in his pockets and walked over to the Maximal. He stopped a few feet away from him and said what he had to say. "I don't think you should be trusting Dinobot."

Optimus made a face. _Not this again._"Look, Megatron," he said. "We already discussed this and I'm not going to get into it again. I know you're probably still mad at him for stealing the Golden Discs but he's not going to tell me anything about it."

"When I asked him about them he told me he'd given the Alien Disc to Rhinox," Megatron told him.

"If he did it's news to me," Optimus told him, gesturing helplessly. "Rhinox didn't tell me."

"Maybe he didn't want you to know," Megatron said. "But now that it's out in the open-"

"I'm still not giving it to you," Optimus told him. "Now that I know where it is I don't have to worry about you finding it or Dinobot giving it to you."

It was clear the Predacon didn't like that. He stepped away from Optimus, folded his arms and glared at him. "You just might regret that, yes," he told him.

"I doubt it," Primal said.

Megatron growled in annoyance and turned away, heading down the hall without another word. Optimsu watched him go, relieved that the Predacon was going to leave him alone. He pushed himself away from the wall and turned his attention to the oval table in the center of the room. With a few keystrokes on the console a holographic image of the alien disc hovered over the table, giving him his first clear detailed view of the item. For a moment he stood there staring, taking in what he could but not understanding a single syllable. _What does it say? _he wondered. _and why does Megatron want it back so much? Can he read it? _That was unlikely but it could be possible. 

* * *

"Hold it!" Blackarachnia exclaimed, putting out her arms and forcing Starscream to stop. 

The Decepticon Air Commander stopped moving. "What?" he demanded, not too happy that the she-spider had given him an order.

"I hear somebody," she said, listening. 

"So?"

She looked over her shoulder at him and smirked. "It might be the person you're after," she told him. 

Starscream started to say something but got hair in his mouth. Spitting the long black strands out, he grabbed the female Predacon's hair and yanked it out of his face. "Megatron," he said. 

"That's probably it," she said. "Now that you found him you don't need me anymore."

The Decepticon said nothing. Suddenly he yanked her into the shadows. "Hey!" she exclaimed. "Let me go! You found who you were looking for."

"Shut up," he ordered, putting a hand over her mouth. "Don't think for a second that I had forgotten that I still have to deal with you. I'm not letting you go until you pay for betraying me."

She growled at him and bit his hand. 

"Ow!" he moved it away from her mouth and slapped her across the face. 

The Blackarachnia yelped in pain and lowered her head, feeling a burning sensation on the spot where he'd struck her. He grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. "Don't ever do that again!" he hissed. 

"Don't order me around, screechy!" she shot back. 

"Then be quiet!" he growled. He listened for a moment. The footsteps were getting closer. "Here he comes." he said. "Now if you don't want to die right now you won't say a word."

She knew he was serious about it but couldn't keep herself from glaring at him. "Fine," she said in a low voice.

The two grew quiet. A minute later a man wearing a dark purple trench coat walked around the corner. He seemed oblivious to the seeker and the woman as he walked by, humming a tune to himself. Blackarachnia heard a clicking sound and looked down to see Starscream pulling a blaster out of the inner lining of his jacket. She knew what he was about to do. Though she hated Megatron and wouldn't have minded him getting his just desserts she hated Starscream more and wasn't about to let him score a victory so easily. 

Ignoring Starscream's warning, she opened her mouth and said at the top of her voice. "Megatron!"

The Predacon, upon hearing his name being called, turning his head. He spotted the two figures, one the female and the other... a man he'd never seen before. "What the-"

Starscream met his eyes for just a second then glared at Blackarachnia. "You witch!" he shouted.

She smirked. "You didn't think I'd let you get away with this did you?" she asked.

He growled at her and shoved her away, drawing the gun and shooting at Megatron as he ran forward. Megatron reacted immediately, dodging the blasts and stepping out of the way as the Decepticon plowed toward him in a blind charge. As Starscream ran by, Megatron raised a fist and punched him in the side of the head. Starscream cried out and flew across the room, slamming hard into the wall. The Air Commander slid down the wall and to his hands and knees on the floor, the right side of his head stinging. He put a hand on the spot. This Megatron hit almost as hard as the Megatron Starscream was used to, human or not. He looked up and found the Predacon Megatron standing over him. He clenched his teeth and glared up at him. _Slag! Slag! Slag! Slag!_

"I don't know who you are," Megatron said, folding his arms. "But you'd better have a good explanation for trying to shoot me."

"RAARGGGG!Starscream shrieked, jumping at Megatron. 

He slammed into Megatron's stomach, knocking the man off his feet. He heard the Predacon grunt as his body contacted with his stomach and the two fell to the hard metal floor. 

* * *

Scoponok thought he head a noise in the hall and looked up from his work. "Did you hear that?" he asked.

"Here what?" Tigatron asked, not even looking up.

"I thought I heard something," he replied. "It sounded like yelling."

"I didn't hear anything," the Maximal said, still not looking up. "You were probably hearing things."

"No, I did hear something," he said, starting to get up. 

"Waspinator didn't hear anything either," Waspinator spoke up. "Scorpo-bot must be losing it."

"I'm _not_ losing it!" Scorponok shouted. "I heard something!"

"Well whatever it was it's not making noise anymore," Tigatron told him. "It was probably just Dinobot and Rattrap getting into it as usual."

"But-"

Now Tigatron did look up. Red eyes met yellow ones. "Look, I'm not telling you what to do or what you heard," he said, his voice calm but impatient. "If you want to look for it go right ahead. I'm not stopping you."

Scorponok was tempted to do so but something told him he should avoid whatever it was for now. He reached down and picked up a wrench. "I don't feel like it," he said. 

And the subject wasn't brought up again as the three went back to work.

* * *

Megatron fought to release Starscream's hold on him, which was like trying to pry himself loose from the jaws a some kind of predator. This guy was crazy! "Get off me!" he shouted, pushing on the other man's chest to get him to back off.

The man in the avatar jacket fought against the opposing force, his hands trying to get a grasp on the Predacon's neck,while still holding Megatron down.

Megatron sensed what he was doing and, used his free hand to sock the man in the face. Starscream screeched in protest and flew backward, hitting the wall again. Megatron got up and ran toward him. Starscream saw the blaster on the floor and dived for it. 

"Don't!" the Predacon shouted.

Too late. Starscream's hand grasped the gun's handle. He twisted around and aimed at Megatron. The man dived as the Air Commander fired, the blast missing the man in purple by inches and burning a hole in the ceiling. Megatron turned back to Starscream and dived at him, his hand outstretched to grab the wrist holding the gun. A kick in the face sent him stumbling back, off balance. When he looked up again the Decepticon had gotten up and was running down the hall.

"You won't get away from me that easily!" he shouted, starting after Starscream.

"Wait!" a voice shouted.

Megatron paused and looked over his shoulder to glare at the speaker. Blackarachnia stood behind him, leaning against the wall for support. "Don't go after him yet," she told him.

"Why shouldn't I?" he demanded.

"Because that's what he wants." she replied.

"Who is he anyway?"

She answered with a question of her own. "Remember Starscream?"

He did, all too well. "Yes."

"That's him."

Megatron held back a comment. _So__**that's **__Starscream, _he thought. _This is getting interesting, yess. _"What did Starscream want?" he asked her. "How did he even come back and get a body and what are you doing with him?"

"I don't know," she answered the first question. "I wound up being caught by him by accident. This was not my idea."

"I can see that," he snapped. 'Now what does he want and why did he try to kill me?"

"He wants revenge for what happened before," she told him. "He said he's not going to let you or Optimus get away with humilating him like that. He forced me to show him how to get in without being seen so he could kill the both of you." 

_So he wants Primal as well. I should tell the Maximal but I don't think I will, no. This could be very profitable for me, yes. But first I must deal with the problem and then get control of it. Once I have that I will have yet another advantage. _He started off in the direction Starscream had gone again.

"Where are you going?" Blackarachnia called after him.

He looked over his shoulder at her and, seeing the expression on her face, smirked. "That is nothing you have to worry about my dear spider, noo," he told her. "You will find out soon enough."

* * *

Terrorsaur finally made it back to the_Axalon_. He touched down gently in front of the ship, noticing that the elevator was down. "Huh," he said, walking over to it. "Some of the Maximals must have gone for a walk or something." he stepped inside and touched the computer controls. "Hello," he said. "Anybody home?"

Rhinox face appeared on the screen. "Terrorsaur," he said. 

"Did you know the elevator's down?" Terrorsaur asked the Maximal. 'That's very irresponsible of you. I mean what if some animal climbs into it?"

"Wild animals getting loose in the base is the last thing on my mind right now," Rhinox told him. "and the reason it's down is because Rampage and Silverbolt left the base."

"Rampage?" the red haired Predacon cast a quick glance around him. "He's not still around is he?"

"No," the Maximal told him. "He's long gone by now."

"If that's true why is the elevator still down?"

"For one thing you were still out there and I didn't want you to run into any trouble and not be able to get back inside," he told the other man.

"I can fly," Terrorsaur said. "I won't run into trouble I can't get away from."

"Another reason is Quickstrike hasn't come back," Rhinox went on. "Optimus was going to send somebody to look for him but I told him to wait until you got back. Have you seen him?"

"No," Terrorsaur said, shaking his head. "and I would remember if I had."

"Slag," Rhinox cursed. "Uh would you mind doing us a favor?"

Terrorsaur raised an eyebrow. "What kind of favor?" he asked suspiciously.

"Could you look for him?" the dark skinned Maximal asked. "You don't have to if you don't want to but we would be very grateful if you did."

"Why should I?" he asked. "He's one of yours after all."

"Because we don't want to lose anybody," Rhinox told him, sounding slightly annoyed. "We're not machines anymore. If something should happen to him it would be rather hard to put him back together..."

Images of a mutilated body appeared in Terrorsaur's head though he tried not to think about it. "Stop!" he exclaimed, hitting the keyboard. "Not another word!"

"So what are you going to do?" Rhinox asked. "Are you going to look for him or does Optimus have to send somebody else?"

"I don't think I have much of a choice now," Terrorsaur snapped. "Not after you put those images in my head!" he shivered at the thought. 

"Thank you."

"That does not require a thank you," the Predacon told him, turning from the control pannel and stepping out of the elevator. He stopped for a moment and looked around. "Now if I was an annoying cowboy where would I go?" The answer came to him and he smiled. "Ah hah."

Billowing out his leathery wings to catch a breeze he took a few steps then jumped, making himself airborne once more. _He'd better not be far. _

* * *

* * *

Megatron stepped into the lower cargo area of the Maximal base, his magenta eyes scanning the dimly lit room for any sign of the Decepticon Air Commander. "Starscream," he said in a low voice, his black gloves hand closing around the weapon hidden in in inner pocket of his trenchcoat. "where are you, my Decepticon friend?"

Not to far away but out of sight for the time being, Starscream stood with his back against an iron beam, his left hand tightly grasping the handle of his blaster, the finger rested lightly on the trigger. He peeked around the beam, spotting the Predacon easily. _That coat of his gives him a disadvantage, _he thought, smirking. He moved his head back when Megatron looked his way. He looked around and spotted another area, a bit closer to the Predacon's location. _If I can get over there I'll have a better chance at hitting my mark. _

Megatron thought he heard footsteps and turned his head.he thought he saw a flash of red and blue near some boxes in the back but he couldn't be sure. _Starscream is trying to stalk me, _he thought. _Well two can play at that game, yes._Slipping quietly out of his coat, he scanned the room once more. This time he thought he heard a slight manical snicker close by. _Ah there you are. _Throwing his coat aside he quietly made his way over to the spot. 

Starscream got control of himself and listened again. Silence met his ears. He froze, his nerves suddenly on edge. _I know this silence, _he thought. _He's going to try sneaking up on me. _He gripped the blaster tighter. _Well this time I will not allow something like that to happen. I will not be beaten easily again!_

"ARGH!" he shouted, rising and firing his blaster, only then realizing nobody was there. "What?" he said, lowering the gun. "Where did-"

"Over here, Starscream," a voice said. 

The Decepticon froze and turned only his head toward the sound. Megatron was only a short distance away, His long sleeved black shirt making him nearly impossible to see from the waist up. "Surprise," he said, before raising his own blaster and firing.

_A/N_

_I'm aware that at some parts everyone is OOC. Sorry. I am currently re-watching some Beast Wars episodes to help me remember how everyone acts. I think it's helping me a little. _


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

Starscream's reflexes took over and jerked his body sideways seconds before the shot would have hit him. He dived to the floor as Megatron fired again then twisted around and, without even bothering to aim, fired. The blast wasn't even close. It hit the wall far off to the left.

"Your aim is as bad as usual, Decepticon Air Commander," Megatron said, looking where the blast had gone then back at Starscream who was crawling out of his range. He raised his gun again. "Let me show you how get it _right."_

Starscream heard the gun go off and the blast hit his leg. He gritted his teeth at the pain and kept moving, not about to let the Predacon win this easily. _I am a Decepticon! I have seen more war and carnage than he ever will. I will not let a second rate bot beat me this easily! _He looked over his shoulder. Megatron was making his way toward him, jumping over crates full of fruit and other items. It would not be long before he caught up with him.

Growling deep in his throat the Air Commander grabbed a metal pipe and fored himself to stand, the wound in his left leg protesting as soon as he put his weight on it. He ignored it, turning to face Megatron, who had just jumped over another crate. The Predacon stopped his pace when he spotted the Decepticon standing and facing him. He smirked. "Are you going to do this right, this time?" he asked. "Or are you going to turn yellow and run like you always do."

Starscream had put up with being called a coward long enough. He clenched his fists at his sides and met the Predacon's stare. "You have no grounds on which to call me a coward," he snapped.

"Oh but I believe I do, yess," Megatron said, giving him a knowing look. "I looked up data on you after your last visit and I found some very interesting information."

The air commander glared at him. "You're lying!" he snapped. "My files are classified."

"True but a female spider ever so nicely helped me hack into them," he told the man. He put up his hands. "Your file didn't surprise me in the least. It seemed strangely familair to the file of one of my own troops who happens to act almost exactly like you." he put a hand to his chin. "If I'm not mistaken, it was _Terrorsaur_ who downloaded that file into the computer when we stole our ship. He said the information might prove useful later on." he chuckled. "I guess he was right."

"You're lying!" Starscream insisted. "There was no way Terrorsaur could have gotten those files."

"Oh but he did," Megatron said. "And they were still password protected too so he couldn't read them. Blackarachnia and I are the only ones who know the whole story. About how you were a coward, how you did everything you could to be the leader and failed miserably every time..." he folded his arms. "When it comes down to it... your reputation is pretty bad. It tells me that you're one of the most pathetic Decepticons to ever come off the production line." This time when he met the Decepticons faze he saw murder in the man's eyes. "I can say it without conviction. You are pathetic."

"No," Starscream shouted angrily, his fists shaking uncontrolably. "No!" throwing all caution and planning to the wind he dived at the smirking Predacon, intent on tearing the man's heart out with his own hands.

* * *

Tarantulas was a good distance from the _Axalon_ when he stopped to rest. His injured leg was killing him and whenever he put pressure on it it would scream in protest. He sat down and leaned his back against a rock, closing his eyes and sighing. He still had a long way to go before he reached his lair. It didn't matter how soon he got to it. What was there would stay there and be just fine until he was able to get to it. For now he wouldn't worry about it. He had other things on his mind anyway. Shifting position he let his leg stick out straight in front of him so it wouldn't bother him as much. His leg didn't hurt as much in that position and it felt slightly better to.

_There is only one explaination for all of this, _he thought. _By now my analysis of my own body should be complete and, if I can get back to my lair, hopefully I'll find out something and come up with a cure. _

He didn't sit there much longer. After a moment he got back up, groaning as his leg punished him for doing so. However he only took two steps before stopping once more. Something wasn't right about the sky. Lifting his head he immediately noticed something out of place in that vast dome of bright blue. The sky looked like it had created a line of dark ribbon that streaked across the sky in a vertical line.It didn't take long to figure out that whatever was creating that line wasn't from earth. _But what is it? _he wondered. _and where does it end? _

Neck trained upward, he made a move to follow the line. That proved to be unnecessary because the next moment a white hot fireball shot in his direction. "Oh no!" he exclaimed, diving to the ground as that fireball flew past him. He heard a crash a few minutes later and lifted his head, turning it in the direction the fireball had gone. His yellow eyes widened when he saw what it was. A ship. No stasis pod, a _real _ship.

* * *

It wasn't long after Rampage and Transmutate left the base that the man sensed somebody following them. Because of his ability to sense emotions from other people it was hard for anybody to sneak up on him. He'd also felt that person's emotions before and knew who it was without looking. _So the wolf eagle boy is making good on his promise. _he thought. _He should have known better than to come after me alone. _He stopped and looked over his shoulder. Because Silverbolt wore white he stood out against the forest and was easy to spot. _I'll let him get a little closer. Let him think I didn't see him. _He looked ahead and started moving. _Stalking me will be the worst mistake you ever made, bird dog. _

Not too far away Silverbolt decided to sneak up on the man a different way then by walking up behind him. Being in a forest did not help him stay quite because he was constantly stepping on twigs that cracked and snapped under his weight. To avoid making anymore noise he jumped off the ground and landed on a high branch of a tree. Landing on the branch caused it to sway under his weight and he saw Rampage look over his shoulder and up at the branch he was perching on. Silverbolt quickly ducked behind the trunk, hoping the man hadn't seen him.

After a moment Rampage turned away and continued walking, acting as if he hadn't spotted the other man. Silverbolt sighed in relief and felt his confidence growing. This maniac wasn't as good as he thought he was. _Now all I have to do is keep him in sight and confront him when I have enough of an advantage to do so. _he spotted another tree a short distance away and jumped to it, landing on another branch.

Rampage smirked as he heard Silverbolt land on another branch. _That's right. Follow us. I'll enjoy a little fun. _

* * *

Megatron had anticipated Starscream's movements and stepped aside as the Decepticon came at him. As Starscream flew past him, he grabbed the man's arm and twisted it behind him. The Decepticon let out a cry of pain when Megatron shoved him face first against the wall.

"You lose," Megatron said into his ear.

The veiled insult just made Starscream even angrier. "Let go of me!" he shouted, struggling against the Predacon's hold.

Megatron wasn't going to do any such thing. "I don't think I will, no," he said. "Not while you're trying to kill me." he chuckled at the thought. "Not that _you_ where ever good at such a thing. Why should you even bother?"

"I've gotten better at it, that's why!" Starscream shouted.

Suddenly and with surprising strength the Decepticon broke free of Megatorn's hold, turned around, and kicked the Predacon in the stomach. Megatron flew across the room and crashed into a pile of crates. Starscream crossed the room and landed a fist in Megatron's face when the Predacon picked himself up. The Predacon grunted and took a few steps back, his hand over his face. When he removed it he saw blood on his fingers. He lifted his head and glared at the Decepticon. "You'll pay for that!" he shouted before charging forward. Starscream let him come and then at the last minute jumped up and lashed out with his legs, kicking Megatron in the chest and once again sending him flying across the room and into a pile of crates. This time he didn't wait for the other man to get up. He jumped at him from where he lay and grabbed for Megatron's throat. The Predacon's hand shot up and hit Starscream in the face. The Decepticon grunted and fell back off the other man. Megatron crouched on the floor and waited for Starscream to look up. When he did the Predacon's black boot slammed into his face.

Starscream lived up to his name quite well as the impact send him flying backward, a siren like wail escaping his throat. His body slammed into a large crate that cracked open on impact and sent a pile of junk down onto of him.

Megatron, on his feet once more, charged over to the spot, intent on finishing this once and for all. He only got as far as ten feet when Starscream seemed to pick up a blaster out of nowhere and start firing. The Predacon took one in the shoulder then dived behind another crate to avoid getting hit again.

Starscream got up off the floor, his face stinging from the blow to the face but his eyes full of fury. He walked toward Megatron's hiding place, his blaster firing shot after shot. If that man raised his head once it would be all over. "How does it feel, Mighty Megatron?" he shouted, still firing. "How does it feel to be the one fired _upon_ for a change?"

Megatron crawled across the floor, well out of range of the insane Decepticon's fire power. As long as he stayed low Starscream wouldn't hit him but he wasn't about to cower for long, no. He had to find his own blaster and do some damage himself. _That Decepticon will regret ever coming after me, yes!_

"Why won't you come out an play, _Mighty _Megatron?" he heard Starscream's shrieky voice taunting him. "Or are you just as much of a coward as your namesake?"

Megatron ground his teeth and kept crawling, wanting with every fiber in his being to shut up that loud mouth, but unable to at the moment. First he had to plan then he would start knocking out teeth. He spotted his blaster lying on the floor a few feet away and changed his course slightly. If he could get to his gun before Starscream found him they would be back on even ground... or uneven, depending on how you look at it.

The Air Commander stopped firing for a moment, not wanting to waste anymore power. He held the gun high and scanned the dark room with his eyes. He saw Megatron's purple trench coat lying on a crate but didn't fire at it because he knew Megatron had taken it off so he'd be harder to see. _Come out Megatron. We haven't finished playing yet. _A noise caught his attention and he turned his head toward the sound. He didn't see anything but his senses told him to head over to it.

With slow cautionary steps he did so, still holding the gun high and close to his head, the barrel facing upward. "Comeon, Megatron," he said under his breath. "Lift that ugly head. I have a bullet with your name on it!"

* * *

Tarantulas stood frozen for a moment, his mouth hanging open, as he stared at the ship that had nearly killed him when it had crashed. The ship was black, a real black black, the kind of black that sucks in all the light around it. The design was sleek and looked like a new model, something that had just been built recently. It looked fast too. Something seemed familair about it. The design looked like something he'd seen before, only modified.

_But why?_

Determind to find out the answer, he limped and stumbled down the slope and toward the black ship with the familiar design.

* * *

As Silverbolt followed the seemingly oblivious Rampage and the woman he was carrying, the man in white suddenly started getting a bad feeling about this. He didn't know why but something told him this might not be right. That he wasn't stalking them like he thought. Especially from all the noise he'd made. The man below was either deaf or he had heard it and was pretending he didn't. _No! _he thought, shaking his head. _That can't be it. _

He jumped to another tree, this time using his wings to help him. This time when he landed he made no noise. He glanced down at Rampage. Not reaction. Silverbolt glanced at his wings. _Well if he could hear me before, _he thought smirking. _He won't now. _

Rampage did not hear Silverbolt's jump this time, but he still felt the man's emotions. He stopped for a moment and set Transmutate down. She looked at him curiously as he turned his head toward the trees. This time he didn't spot the flash of white that let him know where Silverbolt was. He frowned, not liking it. _He's not going to get the drop on me. I won't allow it!_

Casting a look at Transmutate who was looking at him curious he said. "Wait here," and walked off, his ears sharp and his eyes focused on the tree tops. _You're not going to sneak up on us!_

* * *

Megatron kept an ear out for Starscream's foosteps as he crawled over to his gun. If he could keep track of Starscream's movements as he moved then maybe he'd be able to guess where he'd appear next and hopefully avoid running into him or the Decepticon finding him before he got his weapon. _He's not going to get away with this. _

A thought came to him. Something he pushed out of his mind. _You should have told Primal._

_Now why would I do something like that? He __**doesn't**__ need to know. _

"Megatron," Starscream's voice broke into his thoughts and he froze. "Where you are, you coward?"

He heard the Decepticon jump up onto a crate. The Predacon, knew that it was olyl a matter of time before Starscream found him. His eyes focused on the gun. So close yet just out of reach! he scooched forward, his hand outstretched. Just as his hand grasped the handle he heard Starscream shout. "Aha! There you are!" and then he was rolling to dodge blaster fire.

Megatron rolled over onto his back and aimed at the air commander. He fired before he could get a good shot. Starscream dived out of the way as the blast hit the wall behind where he'd been standing.

"You missed!" Starscream called out, landing on the floor a good distance away from where he'd been before. "Try firing with your eyes open next time!"

"Try following your own advice!" Megatorn shouted, standing up and firing again.

Starscream ducked, twisting to fire his own gun. He missed but hit one of the supports on a shelf behind the Predacon. The support groaned then snapped, dumping the shelves contents forward. Megatron heard the noise and turned to see what had happened. As he did so the shelves contents fell on top of him. "NOOOOOOO!" he shouted, putting up his arms to protect himself seconds before he was buried under spare parts and other junk.

* * *

Tarantulas lost his footing and fell forward, his body hitting the ground then sliding down the slope until he banged into the side of the ship. "Ow!" he cried out as pain shot through his left arm and shoulder. He grabbed his shoulder and looked up at the damaged black ship. From up close it did indeed look like something he'd seen before. Putting his hand on the ship to steady himself he painfully stood and looked the ship over. Black, sleek, and deadly. Yes, he had seen a ship similar to this before, he could honestly say that now.

_And if I know this ship then the driver should be who I think it is. _His eyes traveled along the smooth metal hull until they stopped on what looked like a dent. Limping over to it he ran his hand over it and the dent moved inward. He smiled. He'd found the entrance.

* * *

Megatron tried in vain to get all that junk off of his body before Starscream got to him but it seemed every time he pushed the junk off, more would just fall back ontop of him. It didn't help that his one leg was being pinned down be something he couldn't reach and the sharp metal, whatever it was, was digging into his flesh. _Slag! This never would have happened if I had my real body! _he thought gritting his teeth in anger.

He heard footsteps and looked up. Starscream was walking toward him, that gun winging lazily in the Decepticon's right hand. He looked at Starscream's face. He was smiling confidently. He had won and he knew it.

"Looks like you're stuck, _Mighty Megatron_," he said sarcasticly. He stopped, making sure he had a good distace between himself and the trapped Predacon. He didn't trust Megatron, even pinned under all that junk. He raised his gun, the smile still on his face. Megatron stared down its barrel cursing himself for being so careless. He should have killed Starscream when he'd had the chance instead of playing with him. Now it seemed he wouldn't be able to do anything. "You'll pay for this," he growled.

Starscream ignored the empty threat. "Good bye, Megatron." His finger squeezed the trigger.

* * *

Rampage felt a hand on his arm and turned his head. Transmutate had been following him. "What are you doing?" he asked her. "I told you to stay put."

She just shook her head. She glanced upward and smiled. "Friend!" she exclaimed.

Rampage's head jerked upward. He thought he saw a flash of white in the trees but he couldn't be sure. It disappeared too quickly to get a good look. He looked back at the woman. Her attention was still on the trees and her smile told him she was happy to see the Maximal. Something about that smile made him angry. He could feel jealousy filling him. _No! She's mine! I won't let him take her from me! _

He grabbed her arm and gave it a jerk. She yelped and looked over at him. Sorry," he said, letting her go. "I need to ask you a favor."

She just stared at him.

"If you see your 'friend' again let me know okay?" he said. When he saw the question in her eyes he said quickly. "I want to talk to him. Maybe we can all be friends."

She smiled at him and nodded eagerly. He felt a little bad for lying to her but pushed that thought aside quickly. In fact, now that he knew where Silverbolt was he didn't need to pretend aymore.

"I know you're out there, bird-dog man!" he called out to the forest. "Show yourself before I am forced to yank you out of one of those trees myself!"

Silverbolt peaked through some branches of the redwood he was perching in. So Rampage had known about his presents the whole time. _So much for secrecy. _he thought, mentally kicking himself for not being careful enough.

"I can see you!" Rampage's voice reached his ears. "You're hiding in that redwood!"

"Slag.." Silverbolt sighed in frustration and stepped out into plain view, but didn't jump down. He perched on the branch, his arms folded and his spine straight. He could see Rampage and Transmutate on the forest floor looking up at him. Rampage's eyes were as cold and hard as two green stones.

Silverbolt forced down the rising fear and discomfort he got from the other man's piercing gaze. To show that he wasn't afraid he jumped down from the branch, using his wings to slow down his fall. He landed in front Rampage and met his gaze without flinching.

"I'm am impressed that you didn't run away this time," Rampage said smirking. "Now that we both know I know you're here why don't you tell me why you're following me."

"As if it's not obvious," Silverbolt said, pulling out his spear. "I won't allow you to hurt another person."

Rampage sniffed, disgusted. "You sound likie somebody else I encountered," he commented. He grabbed Transmuate's arm and gently pushed her behind him. "Who said I was going to harm her?"

"I know enough about you to know you're only letting her live because of her pain," Silverbolt snapped, taking a few steps back. "When you're sick of her you'll kill her just like you did to all the others and won't even care."

Rampage was getting annoyed and angry. How dare this Maximal accuse him of such a thing! Sure he'd killed others but this woman was different. "This time you are wrong." Pushing Transmutate away he stepped toward the spear welding man in white. "I don't know why you have to be so stubborn but if you want to fight me I'll gladly ablidge." he smirked. "It's been awhile since I've had any fun and I'll enjoy making you scream."

Silverbolt felt uneasy at Rampages smile and his words but he refused to let the man get to him. He was going to save this woman or die trying. "Bring it," he said, making a fighter's stance.

"As you wish."

He attacked.

* * *

Megatron waited for the gunshot that would end his life. Unconciously his eyes had closed and his body had tensed. He was angry at himself. He had not wanted to give Starsceram the satisfaction. _Damn!_

BAM!

That _wasn't_ a gunshot. Megatron opened his eyes. Starscream still stood over him and didn't seem to notice the sound. Suddenly his eyes rolled up and he fell to the floor, unconcious. The Predacon stared up in surprise at the one who'd saved his life.

"Dinobot?!" he exclaimed.

The former Predacon, who held his sword by the blade, because he'd used the handle to knock out the Decepticon, glared down at Megatron. "You have become careless," he said, his voice both annoyed and angry. "Letting yourself be bested by this Decepticon." he kicked Starscream's body. "You are lucky I came down here otherwise you would be dead." He dropped the sword, letting it clatter onto the floor as he knelt down to clear the junk off Megatron's body. "I think you owe me."

Megatron said nothing, feeling stupid. First beaten by the worst of traitors and now saved by somebody he wanted dead. "Just get this junk off me!"

_A/N_

_This chapter didn't take me as long to complete because I wanted to finish it. Rampage might be out of character here and maybe Dinobot as well.. I don't really care. I tried my best. _


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

Tarantulas stepped cautiously into the black ship, on edge as his eyes scanned the interior for the pilot. It was dark in there and he would have trouble seeing until his eyes adjusted to the gloom. If he had still been a robot that would not have been a problem. He took a few more steps, leaning against the wall for support and made his way to the cockpit. He didn't bother calling out because the pilot would not have let his ship crash as it had if he were all right. Something was wrong and he had an idea what it was. Of course he wouldn't be sure until he found the pilot. A short time later he stepped into the control room, light from the late afternoon sun streamed in through the windshield, brightening the room and outlining a black chair with the back facing the door. He stopped again, studying the chair, his yellow eyes trying to pick up some kind of movement. There was none.

Could this mean the pilot was dead? He didn't want to believe that, not yet. If the pilot was dead maybe he could make some use of the ship he left behind.

Either way the outcome would be to his advantage. _Not that I'd be able to go back to Cybertron with this body, _he thought looking at his hands in contempt. _The last thing I need is for anyone to see me looking like this!_

He reached out a hand and grabbed the back of the pilot's chair. Using it as a crutch he brought the rest of his body over and peaked around the high backed chair. The pilot had fallen forward as if in a faint, his upper body draped over the control panel. Tarantulas eyes grew wide. Not from what he saw but from he didn't see. He'd been expecting the pilot to look like a Cybertronian since the vessel was of Cybertronian make but...

_This can't be. He wasn't even here when this happened! How did he?_

Whatever had caused the Maximals and Predacons to gain their current bodies had also caused the same thing to happen to the pilot. _So it wasn't just us. _he leaned over and touched the pilot's shoulder. The smaller figure in the off white jacket didn't respond. He gave it a shake, trying to get a response. "Hey," he said, shaking harder. "If you're alive moan or something."

The pilot did moan and stirred, his head moved slightly and one eye peaked open. The eye locked on the figure leaning over it, taking in what it could in the waning sunlight. Finally it spoke, his voice thickly accented. "What are you?"

"What kind of thing is that to say to an old friend?" Tarantulas demanded.

"Old friend?" the pilot said, shifting and pushing himself up. "I don't know anybody that looks like you."

"I've had a make over since we last spoke to each other," Tarantulas said, laughing bitterly.

The pilot listened to the laugh. It sounded familiar. his eyes widened in disbelief. "Tarantulas?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's me," the scientist replied.

"What happened to you?" the pilot asked.

"The same thing that happened to you," Tarantulas replied, pointing at the windshield.

The pilot turned his head, his eyes catching his reflection in the glass. Those ebony orbs widened at the sight. A face with pale skin, dark bluish black hair, and dead black eyes stared back at him though one of them was covered by his hair. He also noticed his ears looked funny, and put up a hand to feel them. Soft and furry cat ears. "ARGH!" he exclaimed, getting out of his chair. "What has happened to me?! This is worse than becoming a Predacon!"

"Well thanks a lot," Tarantulas said.

The pilot stared at his hand, soft black leather cloves covered his pale hands. He clenched his fists, feeling the material on the inside with his fingers. "What is this?' he asked himself out loud.

"I'm not sure yet," Tarantulas said, eyeing the other, slightly shorter man. "I was on my way to my lair to find out when you crashed." He slid into the pilots seat. His leg was beginning to hurt unbearably and he had to sit down. "How did you get here?"

"I was sent here," the other man replied, taking the gloves off his hands and looking at the pale skin underneath.

"Oh..." Tarantulas said, knowing what that meant. "So it's come to that, has it?"

The pilot shot a sharp look at the other man. "This never would have happened if you had reported in." he retorted.

"How did you expect me to do that?" Tarantulas demanded, lifting his leg and resting it on the control panel. "It wasn't like I could just call. We have a four million year difference."

The pilot nodded. "You are right," he said.

"But what are you even doing here, Ravage?" the scientist wanted to know.

Ravage met the scientists eyes. 'That," he said. "Is a long story."

Tarantulas leaned forward. "I have all day."

* * *

Optimus was more than a little surprised when Megatron and Dinobot walked into the control room together. It wasn't that they weren't giving each other death glares that surprised him it was the fact that Dinobot had a body draped over his shoulder like a pelt. "What in Primus?"

The other two men looked at him. Megatorn spoke first. "We have a situation," he said, as the raptor turned human set the body on the oval table.

Optimus stared at the person. A man in blue jeans, yellow shirt, and aviator jacket. He had no animal qualities but he didn't look like anyone they knew. "Who-?" he began.

"Starscream," Dinobot said in an emotionless voice.

The Maximal stared. "Starscream?"

"Yes," Megatron replied, folding his arms and leaning against the wall. "He tried to kill me."

Optimus stared at him, not saying anything. He looked down at Starscream. When Blackarachnia had blasted the Decepticon's spark out of Waspinator's body the Maximal had hoped to never see him again. _I guess his spark really __**is**__ immortal..._ he looked up at Dinobot and Megatron. They seemed to be waiting for him to say something. He didn't have anything to say.

Megatron met his gaze. "He wasn't just after me, no," he said. "He was after you too."

That got his attention. He looked at Dinobot and asked. "He was?"

Dinobot didn't know the whole story so he just shrugged. Megatron spoke up again, making him look back at him. "He wanted to kill _both_ of us."

Optimus let that sink in. He studied Megatron's appearance, noticing the man looked like he'd be in a fight. Finally he said. 'Tell me what happened."

* * *

Silverbolt raised his spear in defense as Rampage charged at him. Seconds before Rampage reached him, he took the other man by surprise by jumping into the air. Rampage shot below him and stumbled. He quickly regained his balance and glared up at the flying Maximal. "Get down here!" he shouted. "You want to fight me yet you hover there like a coward!"

"You're right," Silverbolt agreed. "We'll do this your way!" and he dived at Rampage, his spear out in front of him.

Rampage was fast. He grabbed the spear before it even got close enough to pierce him and yanked on it. "WHOA!" the man in white exclaimed, flying over the other man's head and hitting the ground with a crash. He go up just as Rampage tackled him to the ground. He felt the red head grab him behind the neck and thrust him off. Silverbolt slammed into a tree and fell to the ground.

_How did he do that? _he asked himself, trying to get up before Rampage stood and came after him.

Rampage was on his feet first and charged at the other man. He aimed a kick at Silverbolt's head but the man dived out of the way before his foot struck him.

* * *

Terrorsaur took stock of the remaining sun light as he hovered twenty feet above the ground. He'd spent two long hours looking for Quickstrike and hadn't found him yet. He was starting to get impatient. _Stupid Maximal, _he thought, folding his arms and making a sour face. _Going off and hiding. Why in Primus did he do such a thing anyway and why did I even agree to look for him?! I was going to talk to Airazor! _He snorted at the thought. Yeah he had wanted to talk to Airazor, the Maximal that had blasted him to pieces the first day she'd come online. Well he couldn't fault her. He'd shot at her first. _So in the words of Maximals. "You brought it upon yourself", _he thought, smirking at the thought. _Reminds me a great deal of that time I got arrested for propositioning an undercover officer. How was I supposed to know? I guess that's what I get for being desperate. _

He finally got moving, flapping his wings and shooting across the sky, his blood red eyes focused on the ground below. _But enough of that, _he told himself. _Right now you've got __**other**__ things to worry about. _

He had just spotted Quickstrike and the man looked like he was in trouble. Sighing with disgust he banked then slowly lowered himself to the ground, pulling his gun off his back, his expression clearly unhappy. From what he could see it looked like Quickstrike had been chased up an old scraggly tree by a pack of hyenas. The crazy mammals seemed to be laughing it up as the cowboy shouted threats down at them and his snake tail hissed in anger and agreement.

"Go on! Git! Git outta here!" the man was screaming at the top of his lungs. "Go find fodder somewhere else! I aint your grub!"

Terrorsaur raised his rifle and shot at the ground around the hyenas. The shots sent rocks and dust everywhere and startled the hyena's. They shrieked and laughed in protest then bolted as more firepower hit the ground. Once he was sure they were gone and wouldn't come back, the red head landed in front of the tree and glared up at Quickstrike. "You can come down now," he said.

"Whoa," Quickstrike said, climbing down. "That was some mighty fansy shooting there partner."

Terrorsaur wasn't in the mood for flattery. "I'm not your partner," he informed him. "What in Primus name were you doing out here?"

The other man looked away, putting his hands in his pockets, and kicking a rock with his boot. "I was just gettin' some flowers for my lady friend," he replied.

"_What_ lady friend?"

"The spider girl," the cowboy replied. "I got her upset and figured I'd get her some flowers and apologize."

The Predacon stared at him in disbelief. "You mean to tell me that you went off by yourself with nothing to protect you, not even a weapon, just to look for some pansies?!" he demanded, angrily. "Of all the stupid, glitch brained things to do!"

Quickstrike was offended. "Hey just because _you_ don't have a sugar to take flowers to doesn't mean you can call me stupid!"

"You _are_ stupid!" Terrorsaur shouted pointing a finger in his face. "The very idea! Running off by yourself to pick posies for a female who wouldn't give you the time of day!"

"Shows what you know, Mr. Smarty Pants," Quickstrike shot back. "She _is_ my girl. I just offended her that's all. That's why I got the flowers. To apologize."

The Predacon laughed uproariously. "Blackarachnia would probably take those flowers and shove them up your nose."

"Hey!" the other man shouted, his snake tail lifting up and hissing at the Predacon. "Now that was_ uncalled _for."

"So is your face" Terrorsaur said. "Now why don't we forget about the flowers and head back to the base before those jackals come back with friends."

"Shows how much you know.," Quickstrike shot back. "They _weren't_ jackals they were_ hyenas_!"

* * *

Optimus stared at Megatron as the Predacon related the entire story of his encounter with the vengeful Decepticon Starscream. When he finished the story Optimus just stared at him for a few more moments, no proper words coming to him. The Predacon made a face. "You don't _have_ to believe me," he said. "But that's how it went."

"I _didn't _say I didn't believe you," Optimus said. "I just don't understand how he even came back or how he ended up looking like that or how he even got into the base anyway."

"I can answer that one," a voice said.

The three men looked toward the doorway. Blackarachnia stood there, her right side leaning against the frame. "Old screechy voice there forced me to show him how to get inside," she said, pointing at the figure on the table. She saw the looks on their faces. "I didn't _want_ to show him," she informed them defensively. "But he threatened to kill me so I didn't have a choice." she folded her arms and looked directly at Primal, purposely avoiding Megatron's eyes. "I would suggest you do something about that extra exit. Somebody left it wide open. Anything could have sneaked in here."

Optimus shook his head. "I'll take care of that in a minute," he told her. He looked back at Starscream who thankfully hadn't regained consciousness yet. "But first I got to decide what to do with _him _first."

"May I make a suggestion?" Megatron asked.

Optimus gave him a look. "It depends," he said. "What is it?"

"Since Starscream is going to be here awhile and I know you won't allow us to just get rid of him maybe we should do something to him to ensure that he doesn't try anything," the Predacon suggested.

"Like what?" Primal wanted to know. "Like what you did to Rampage?" he shook his head. "No. I won't allow that. I don't **care** if he's a Decepticon and hates both of us I will _not_ allow him to go through that too. We'll put him in a cell for now and then we'll discuss it."

Megatron looked ready to argue then he shrugged as if he really didn't care. "Suit yourself," he said. "But I wouldn't let him get off so easily."

"Then lucky for him I'm not you," Optimus said. He turned to Dinobot. "Take him downstairs to one of the holding cells. Make sure it's properly activated before you leave. We don't need him getting loose and causing more chaos."

Dinobot sighed but did what he was told. "If it had been me," he muttered, carrying the unconscious Decepticon out of the room. "I wouldn't have let him live this long."

* * *

Transmuate watched Rampage and Silverbolt fighting, not liking it one bit. Why did they have to fight? What was making them fight? Was it her? She didn't understand. They were both her friends so why did they have to fight with each other?

One word crossed her lips. "No.."

Rampage got ahold of Silverbolt's arm and painfully twisted it behind him back. "Give up while you still can," he hissed into the other mans ear.

Silverbolt struggled against his hold. "I will give up when you hand her over," he shot back. "She's not yours. You_can't have _her."

"And what do you plan on doing with her?" Rampage wanted to know, his face full of disgust. "You know what they're going to do to her if you bring her back. I'm saving her from such misery. I don't _want_ her to go through what I had to."

The man in white looked over his shoulder to glare at Rampage. "And what have you gone through?" he demanded.

The look on the red haired mans face looked haunted for a moment and his other hand went to his chest as if feeling a deep pain. "More than you'll ever know," he said. "But." he yanked Silverbolts arm painfully. "You won't be around long enough to find out." His hand closed into a fist. "Give my regards to Primus!"

Transmutate moved swiftly. Before Rampage could strike the other man he felt an opposing force on his arm. "Huh?" he looked up and saw the woman grasping his arm in her hands. "Transmutate?"

She looked at him pleadingly. "No," she said in a soft voice. "No hurt friend!"

"But but," he tried to protest. "He's _not_ your friend!"

She shook her head. "No hurt," she said again. "No."

For a moment time seemed to freeze. Rampage was torn between enjoying the agony Silverbolt would have suffered while his life ended and not hurting the feelings of the one person who he could relate to. Her large red eyes focused on his face, her expression that of one pleading for mercy for a loved one. He did not like the look but he couldn't tear his gaze from it. Finally he said. "Okay, you win." and let Silverbolt go.

Silverbolt wiggled free and quickly stood up, facing Rampage. He saw Transmutate standing beside the maniac. "Get away!" he called to her. "He'll hurt you if you stay with him!"

The woman looked at him with eyes that said more than she ever could. She shook her head. "Dark friend no hurt," she told him.

"But-but" Silverbolt stammered.

She shook her head again. Rampage looked at him triumphantly. "You heard her," he said. "She doesn't want to go with you."

"No," Silverbolt shot back. "I won't let her stay with you!"

Rampage glared at him. "You just don't know when to give up, do you?" he said, looking ready to fight again.

But, before he could, Transmuate stepped between them. She Fixed her gaze on one then the other. "Friends," she said. "No hurt! No fight! Transmutate wants no fight!" She put up her hands and shoved them further away from each other, shaking her head. "No!"

Silverbolt wanted to argue with her but found he couldn't. Her eyes were so intense and her expression clearly told him that that wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want the two fighting. At least not while she was around to see it. He didn't want her angry with him so he consented, dropping his head and bowing slightly. "As you wish," he said, taking her hand. "If the lady doesn't wish for us to fight I won't."

Her face lit up with a smile and Silverbolt noticed she was quite beautiful. She looked over at Rampage, as if waiting for him to agree. He met her gaze for a moment then also consented. "Okay," he told her. "I won't."

Silverbolt looked at Transmutate again then at Rampage. "I just want to request one thing," he said.

"What?" the other man asked, annoyed.

"Don't do _anything_ to her that she won't like," he said.

Rampage smiled. "Oh you don't have to worry about that.."

Silverbolt wasn't so sure. Something told him this might not be a good idea but the woman didn't want them fighting over her anymore and it was clear she wanted to be with Rampage. _I hope to Primus this doesn't turn out to be a mistake._

* * *

Airazor wasn't one to sit around moping or brooding but she was still upset about what had happened earlier with her and Terrorsaur. She was mostly upset with herself for even having feelings for him. She loved Tigatron, didn't she? _I don't know anymore. _she thought, running her hands through her short brown hair. _I have more in common with Tigatron but Terrorsaur just won't get out of my head. _She kept on telling herself that she hated him. That she had _always_ hated him but now she felt she was lying. Ever since the change, things had gotten worse. Though none of them, except maybe Quickstrike, were attracted to human beings, it just seemed to enhance her feelings and she didn't like it.

She sighed. _That's right. Humans have a much harder time with things like that. But they're used to it. I'm not and I don't want to get used to it. _She folded her arms and leaned against the wall. "But what can I do?" she asked herself. "None of us knows how we even ended up like this, though I think Rhinox has his suspicions..." she thought about it for a moment. _All of this happened after Optimus talked to the aliens. They told him we'd ruined their project and needed to start over. That's when the second moon turned into that thing and... _Her eyes grew wide. "Could they have had something to do with this?" she looked at her black gloved hand. _**Did **__they do this? _

She would have to mention it to Rhinox when she saw him again. "He'll want to know," she told herself. "In fact _everyone_ will want to know. It might just be what happened. The only thing missing is proof."

That would involve somehow contacting the Vok and asking them which was impossible because all the alien sights had been destroyed. "Or have they?" she ran down and hall and toward the control room. _Maybe we missed one? _She remembered seeing the alien disc in the control room when she'd returned. _Maybe it can tell us something?_

* * *

Ravage finished up his story by saying. "And the Tripelacis council believes it's time to take this Megatron situation into their own hands and end it before any further damage is done," the former Decepticon and now Predacon shifted in his seat, folding his legs under him and leaning forward. "They are getting impatient. If we don't deal with him soon they might send more to this time period and make things worse. I was sent because I'm a former member of the older fraction and thus I won't affect things beyond control."

Tarantulas said nothing for a moment then asked. "What do they want you to do exactly?"

Ravage looked away and pushed some of his dark bluish black hair out of his eyes. "Deal with him properly."

_A/N_

_Welcome to Pre-Earth, Ravage. XD Sorry I took so long. I've been distracted and lazy. I just hope I haven't lost my grasp at this and forgotten the original plot. I don't think I have but it's been so long... As you can see I didn't kill Transmutate. Mostly because without her the female count is only two and we need more girls. maybe I'll start using some of the femmes that are mentioned in the comics but not in the show..._


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Rhinox," Airazor said, when she entered the control room. "I would like to have a look at the disc Dinobot brought in."

Rhinox turned his chair around and looked curiously over his glasses at the woman. "Is there a reason why you want to look at it?" he asked her. "I didn't think you'd be interested."

"I am," she told him, stepping around the oval table and sitting on the control console. "I want to check on something."

He cocked his head. "And that would be?"

She looked away. "I think I know how we ended up this way," she replied, raising her hand and looking at it. "If I can get a look at the disc I think I can prove my guess right."

He got what she was trying to say. "You think the aliens had something to do with this, don't you?" he asked her.

She looked at him and nodded. "It's the only answer that fits," she replied. "Only _they_ would have a reason for doing this. I know that they think we ruined their project and I get the feeling that they think we won't be of much harm in these bodies."

"But that doesn't explain why you want the disc," he pointed out.

"I want to test something," she replied. "If we can find one of their structures, if there's any left, maybe we can try to make contact with them."

Rhinox frowned and turned away from her. "That might not be a good idea," he told her. "It's plain that they don't want us contacting them. I'm not sure how long they're going to keep us like this but I doubt talking to them will make them change their minds, plus, there's no way we would be able to get back to Cybertron in these bodies either..."

She was silent for a moment, thinking about what he said. Finally she spoke. "It couldn't hurt to try."

* * *

Dinobot stared at the unconscious form of the Decepticon Starscream who lay on the floor of his cell, unmoving. The former Predacon let his mind go back to the first encounter they'd had with Starscream. It seemed so long ago. He'd always been a scholar when it came to Decepticon history and from what he read Starscream could never be trusted and if he was killed he wouldn't stay dead anyway because of his spark. _But he does not have a spark anymore, _he reminded himself, his tail lightly tapping the floor. _He could be killed for real in this form and unable to return to cause anymore problems. If only Optimus would see it that way instead of letting sentiment get in the way._

Much as _he_ wanted to be the one to do the deed neither Optimus or Megatron wanted it done. He wasn't sure why _Megatron_ wanted Starscream alive but he guessed that the Predacon thought he might be able to have some kind of advantage over him, maybe even try to do the same to him that he had done to Rampage to keep him in line. That might be it but he could be wrong.

It wasn't like _Starscream_ would do anything _willingly_ anyway. He seemed to have a one track mind. All _he_ wanted to do was defeat everyone and become the leader. _Kind of like another traitor I know of, _Dinobot thought, remembering all the times Terrorsaur had tried the same thing and failed just as miserably. _I wouldn't be surprised if those two are somehow related. _

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard what sounded like screaming. Instantly his sword was in his hand and he turned to face the cell Starscream was in. The Decepticon was writhing on the floor of his cell as if in pain. He was also the one making the screaming sounds. Dinobot relaxed. From what he had learned Starscream did that pretty often. _That's probably how he got his name._

Suddenly Starscream sat straight up, gasping. Dinobot saw his eyes were open and he seemed to have awakened. He watched the Decepticon sitting there panting for a moment then calm down and looked around himself. His red eyes met Dinobot's.

"You live up to your name," the former Predacon commented in a flat voice.

Starscream looked taken aback by this comment then offended. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded.

Dinobot looked away. "You were screaming," he replied, calmly. "You do that pretty often from what I have read. No wonder you sound the way you do."

Starscream glared at him, only then noticing where he was. He leaned forward, his face a mask of anger. "Let me out of here," he demanded. "You have no right to keep me in here."

Dinobots tail once again tapped against the floor impatiently. "No, I do not think so," he said, still not looking at the other man. "And I _do_ have a right. You are to stay in there until Optimus decides what we shall do with you." he snorted. "If I had _my _way you would be dead already."

Starscream fell silent, inwardly seething. It had seemed like such a simple task and he'd allowed himself to screw up once again. "So did they tell you to guard me?" he asked.

"No," Dinobot replied.

"No? Then why are you down here? To rub it in?"

"I am down here because I chose to," he replied, his face hardening. " and I do not _rub _things in. I am going to make sure you do not try to get out of there and cause more trouble. At the moment you are the least of our worries or problems... or haven't you noticed how different everyone looks from when you possess the insect?"

Starscream knew full well. It hadn't been unnoticed because he'd gone through it as well. "Don't remind me," he snapped then leaned closer to the bars.

"I would not do that if I was you," Dinobot spoke up. "In the body you are in now those bars will burn you."

Starscream moved back at the threat. The last thing he needed was more burns. "Oh," he said then changed the subject. "So how did we all end up like this anyway, if you're so smart?"

The former Predacon shrugged. "I do not know," he replied. "None of us knows the answer but we all have guesses."

"And what would yours be?"

"That does not concern you," he said flatly and turned his back on the Decepticon. "You should worry about your own problems. Megatron is sure to come down and make a deal with you."

"What do you? Hey!" Starscream exclaimed. "Don't turn your back on me! Do you know who you're dealing with?" but the other man ignored him.

* * *

Megatron stood outside the room with the cells, listening to the conversation. He had come down to have his own talk with the Decepticon but stopped when he heard Dinobot and Starscream talking. _Hmmm..._

* * *

Dinobot unfolded his arms and looked over his shoulder at the Decepticon. "If and when he does I suggest you make the right decision," he told him. "Or make one that you think will benefit you the most. I know you always do, if only to gain some kind of advantage later on." he started to leave. "Think about it because for now that's the only thing you_ can _do."

"Mind your own business!" Starscream called after him. "If and when I get out of here I'll make sure you're the first one to know!"

Dinobot didn't even flinch. The threat was empty so he ignored it.

* * *

When Dinobot stepped out of the room he turned his head and looked over at Megatron, though the other man tried to avoid being seen. He looked the man right in the eyes but said nothing, turning away and heading in the opposite direction. The Predacon watched him go. _He's smart, _he thought. _He knows everything I intend to do. This could make him dangerous. I will have to deal with him when the time comes. but until then I think I'll have my own talk with the wretched Decepticon. _He stepped out of the shadows and entered the room, instantly aware of Starscream's hatefilled eyes locking onto him like soem kind of predators.

Megatron grinned at him, leaning his back against the wall and folding his arms. "Glare at me all you want but that's as close as you'll ever get to taking me out," he told him.

"What do you want?" the Decepticon demanded, not wanting to talk to him.

The Predacon shrugged. "Nothing from you," he replied. "I just wanted to get a better look at you since I never got to before."

Starscream turned away from him, giving the man in purple his back. "I don't appreciate being stared at," he informed him. "Especially not by _you_."

"Like I care." Megatron pushed himself away from the wall and walked around the cell until he was facing the other man yet again. "You should be thanking me."

Starscrean sneered. "Why should I be thanking _you_?" he asked.

"Because I'm one of the reasons you are still alive."

"Last I checked, letting me live was _Primal's_ idea."

"As well as mine," Megatron informed him. "I never planned on killing you from the very start. Maybe teach you a lesson you never seemed to learn while under the first Megatron but not kill you."  
"You are _nothing_ like the first Megatron, fake," the Decepticon informed him. "So stop your playacting and thinking I'm going to fear you."

Megatron's expression turned cold. "Oh really?" he asked. "You wouldn't be saying that if I was in my real form."

"But you are not," he pointed out. "The real Megatron would be embarrassed by one such as you."

Megatron's hand shot through a gap in the bars and grasped Starscream's throat. Any other words he would have said were cut off as the Predacon added pressure and pulled him toward the bars. "You think so?" he asked, colding. "Because I don't, no. I'm doing Megatron a favor. "

"How?" Starsream choked.

"Megatron left me a little map on how to change things around so the Decepticons win the war," he replied. He saw Starscream's eyes fill with curiosity. "I intend on making sure that happens. Once I put my plan into motion nobody will be able to stop it."

"You are forgetting about the Maximals," Starscream gasped.

"Primal does not know my true intentions," Megatron informed him. "I know exactly where its located. But I only intend to use it if I can't change it any other way and I will change it. But I have a problem." Megatron let him go and raised his hand and looked at it. "In our current states the chances of my plans ever working are extremely low, yes."

Starscream started laughing. Megatron glared at him. "What's so funny?"

"You are a fool," he cackled. "Even if you could do such a thing what makes you think it won't destroy you as well? You might make the Maximal disappear but what makes you think _you _won't also? Or don't you_ care_?"

Megatron wanted to argue but found he couldn't. He hadn't thought about that possibility. What if he did kill Prime and he also ceased to exist? "It doesn't matter, no," he said, shaking his head. "What _does_ matter is that the Decepticons will have won the war."

"Much as I would love to see that happen, I would advice against it," Starscream told him. He folded his arms and looked away. "Not only are you a fake but you're stupid as well."

"You say that now," Megatron shot back. "But you'll be thinking differently once I accomplish it." he pointed a finger in his face. "You should be_ thanking _me."

That only made Starscream laugh all the more. "Thanking you?" he said. "I don't think so. HAHAHAHAA!"

Megatron ground his teeth then left, Starscream's insane laughter echoing down the hall after him._ He'll regret saying such a thing. I'll prove him wrong. Before I do anything else there's somebody I have to deal with first. _

* * *

Silverbolt returned to the Maximal base, alone. Rhinox and Airazor, who were looking at a holographic image of the alien disc, looked up when they heard him step off the elevator. Airazor noticed the disorder of his clothes and the upset look on his face. She hadn't been around when Silverbolt had gone after Rampage and Transmutate so she had no idea why he looked that way. "What happened to you?" she asked, stepping away from the oval table.

He didn't look at her. "It's not important," he told her.

She wasn't so sure and walked over to him. "Are you sure?" she asked, putting out her hand. "Because you look-"

"I'm fine," he snapped. "Just leave me alone."

She pulled her hand back. "Fine," she said, a little hurt. "I was just trying to be nice. We're all on the same side here."

"I am sorry," he said, looking at her. 'I do not mean to be rude. It's just that... I haven't had a very good day."

"Oh," she said, nodding. "I understand. I know how that is."

Silverbolt looked relieved that she did then noticed the hologram spinning above the oval table. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Airazor suggested we try to translate what's on these discs," Rhinox explained. "She thinks that the aliens might have something to do with how we look now."

"How we look now?" Silverbolt looked confused. Though he'd always felt something was wrong he had never known any other form but the organic one he wore. He did not understand what they meant by the forms they had now. "Are we not supposed to look like this?"

"No," Rhinox replied. "We are supposed to look_ different_."

"How different?" he asked, walking over to the table.

"Like this," Rhinox tapped out a command on the keyboard and the hologram of the disk was replaced by a holographic image of Airazors old form. "This is what Airazor used to look like until the change happened and made her look like she does now."

Silverbolt's mouth hung open as he stared at the image. He looked over at the woman who had a wistful look on her face. "That was_ you_?" he asked, pointing at the image.

She nodded without comment.

Silverbolt was speechless. He had always thought Airazors current form was the one she always had. "If you used to look like that what about me?" he asked.

"You never had any other form," Rhinox told him. "But I might be able to come up with something you might have looked like by using parts of your current form." he tapped away on the keys. "It won't be completely accurate but it should be close and should give you an idea of what you might have looked like." he pressed another key. "Ah here you go."

A moment later a holographic image of a robot with wolf and eagle features lit up on the projector. Silverbolt stared at it a moment in awe. 'That's what I would have looked like?" he asked.

"Not exactly," Rhinox said. "But it should be close."

Silverbolt let that sink in then said. "You mentioned aliens and you think they're responsible for this." he pointed at Airazor. "How can you be sure?"

"Well," Rhinox said, tapping at the keys. The hologram of Silverbolt's robot form disappeared and the image of the alien disc took its place. "We're not completely sure but the aliens are the only ones who would have a reason for doing something like this." he met Silverbolt's eyes. "The aliens told Optimus they were going to destroy the planet because we ruined their project. Maybe they changed their minds and figured that making us look like this would make us harmless." he looked at his own hand. "They might be right about that. Humans don't live very long and they get injured very easily as well as get killed easily as well." His face grew serious. "I'm not sure when or if they intend to give us back our true forms but maybe we can help convince them to do so."

Silverbolt looked away. The form he had now was the only one he ever knew. He wasn't so sure he _wanted_ to change. He looked back at the screen. "So what do you intend to do?"

'Try to find a way to make contact with them," Airazor told him.

* * *

Tarantulas shook his head. "You were sent to deal with him properly," he said, snickering. "That will be much harder than you think."

"Not if he looks like _this," _Ravage said, looking at his hands.

The scientist nodded. "True," he conceded. "But it might still be hard."

Ravage stood and limped over to the far wall. He reached up and took something off the shelf. "I agree it will be hard," he confirmed. "But we still cannot have him messing with things. I know the rise of our own fraction against the Maximals is taking awhile to complete but it will be finished soon. I don't see why he has to be so impatient." he looked back at Tarantulas. "But you already know this." he stared at the other man intently, sensing some kind of wall. "You're waiting for him to do something aren't you?"

Tarantulas tried to make himself look innocent. "What do you mean?"

"Don't give me that," Ravage snapped. "I've been around you long enough to know when you're up to something." he walked over to him, a gun in his hands. "You're waiting or him to find it aren't you?" When Tarantulas didn't reply the former Decepticon grabbed him by the throat. "Answer me! What _exactly_ are you planning?"

Tarantulas grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked before dissolving into a fit of giggles.

* * *

"You're crazy," Terrorsaur shot at Quickstrike as the two walked back to the base. Terrorsaur could have flown back and even carried Quickstrike but he did not want to lug the cowboy all the way back to the base so instead they were walking. "She's already got enough problems, she doesn't need you making a move on her."

Quickstrike gave him a look. "Well you weren't there so how would you know?" he demanded. "At least _I'm_ giving her the time of day, until the _rest _of you."

The red head turned around and stood still, his arms folded and his face annoyed. "We don't have time for such things," he informed him. "Right now we have to deal with the problem with these news bodies and how we're going to et our real ones back."

"What's wrong with the bodies we have now?" the cowboy asked, looking at his hand. "These look fine to me."

"That's because you haven't had any other body," Terrorsaur pointed out. "If you had you would realize how inferior these ones are."

"How so?" he asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

Terrorsaur pushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. "For one thing we don't have to worry about getting old and for another we have a much smaller chance at dying."

Quickstrike looked at him curiously. "A smaller chance at dying?" he asked. "What does that mean? Did we all used to have some kind of super human bodies or something?"

"Not human," Terrorsaur informed him. "Robotic."

"What?" the other mans eyes grew wide. "You mean to tell me we were all some kind of machines?"

Terrorsaur nodded.

Quickstrike thought about it a moment then burst out laughing. "HAHAHAHA!" he laughed, slapping his hand on Terrorsaur's shoulder. 'That's a good one!"

Terrorsaur angrily slapped his hand away. "I'm not kidding around," he informed him. "We really were robots."

"And I'm a guerrilla," the cowboy shot back, growing serious. "Really. Do you expect me to _believe_ that?"

"I don't expect _you_ to believe anything," he said, turning away. "I'm just telling you the truth." he looked over his shoulder. "and from what I can see from your current body your other mode was probably ugly."

"Hey!" Quickstrike exclaimed. "Now that's going a little too far!"

The Predacon didn't look back at him. "I'm just stating the truth," he said, shrugging. "You want to make something of it?"

"Yeah I wanna make somethin' of it," Quickstrike grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. "Nobody calls me ugly and gets away with it."

The Predacon smirked. "I just did."

"That's it!" Quickstrike exclaimed, taking off his hat and throwing it to the ground. "I'm gonna teach you some manners."

Terrorsaur let his hands fall to his sides. He smirked at the other man, his face resembling Starscream's for a moment. "I'd like to see you_ try_."

* * *

Rattrap smacked at the giant ferns as he followed Cheetor through the dense over growth. "Ah man!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe the boss monkey ordered me to come with you on this hunting trip. Why could he have asked somebody else?"

Cheetor looked back at the older Maximal. "Because the others are busy with other things," he replied and put a finger to his lips. "And he doesn't want you and Dinobot getting into anymore fights. Now shh! We have to be quiet!"

"Why do we even have to hunt anyway?" Rattrap continued to whine. "We have plenty of fruit back at the base. What do we need meat for?"

Cheetor wasn't sure himself so he answered using the words Rhinox had used. "Because our bodies can't just live on fruit," he told him. "We need something called protein to keep ourselves strong and healthy." he shrugged. "He also said we needed something called calcium which comes from milk."  
Rattrap made a face. "I doubt we're gonna find any cows out here."

The blond looked back at him and grinned. "Who knows," he said. "We might." and then pushed forward through the growth. "Let's just hope that we only run into prey. With these bodies we could wind up being the supper to creatures we used to scare off by our sheer presents."

A branch smacked Rattrap in the face and he quickly moved it out of the way, his eyes focusing on Cheetor. "When did you start talking like that?" he wanted to know.

Cheetor shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe I learned it from Tigatron." he suddenly crouched down. "I think I see dinner."

The other Maximal shook his head and joined the young man on the ground. He saw, though the brush the brown body of a grazing gazelle. "How are we gonna bring that thing down?" he asked.

Cheetor looked at him. "The old fashioned way of course." he grinned as Rattrap made a face. Before the man could say anything Cheetor said. "I bet I'm still the fastest thing around and shot out of the brush before Rattrap could say anything.

The blonds movements had startled the gazelle and it took off across the plains with Cheetor in hot pursuit. Rattrap watched the young man chase it, shaking his head. "Oh boy... when will he ever learn?"

Cheetor was able to keep up with the gazelle for awhile but sooner than usual he was panting and out of breath. He came to a stop and watched forlornly as the gazelle leapt away. "Slag!" he exclaimed, slapping his hips with his hands. "I should have been able to catch it!"

Rattrap came up behind him. shaking his head. "Well ya did a pretty good job," he told him. "But you're not a cheetah or a transformer anymore and your new body wears out a lot faster." he put a hand on the youth's shoulder. "Better luck next time, spots."

Cheetor took a moment to rest then said. "I don't get it."

"Don't get what?'

"Why couldn't I catch it? I had the momentum and the speed." he raised his arms and then let them flop to his sides, "I guess you're right. These bodies just weren't cut out for that kind of thing."

"Well don't let it get to you," Rattrap advised. "Next time just use a gun."

* * *

"I would like to have a word with you, Dinobot."

The raptor humanoid sighed with annoyance and turned to face Megatron who was walking toward him. The other man had his gloved hands hidden deep inside the pockets of his dark purple trench coat. Dinobot read the anger in his eyes and knew he was in trouble. "What?" he asked, crossly. He folded his arms. "I do not have much time right now. If you have something to tell me you had better be quick."

Megatron glared at him. "Don't tell me to hurry," he snapped. "Whatever you have to do can wait."

Dinobot glared at him and again demanded. "What do you want?"

The Predacon shook his head. "This place has too many nosy Maximals," he told him. "let us find some place less crowded to talk, yes."

Dinobot got the feeling Megatron was up to something but right now he just wanted to get rid of the man as quickly as possible and that meant doing things his way for awhile. 'Then we shall talk outside," he suggested.

Megatron smiled. 'Exactly what I was thinking."

_A/N_

_Well things are starting to pick up again a little bit. I might have to rewatch a few episodes again but I pretty much know the whole beast wars plotline by heart. Of course since they're organic now I'll be changing a few things to make it seem less like a rop off and more original. Events aren't exactly in chronological order anyway. Plus I like to add my own little creativity to things. It's fun. _

_I gave that thing Megatorn suggested some thought. If he did things would be totally different and Megatron number 2 wouldn't exist either!_


	22. Heads Up

HEADS UP!

I honestly do want to update this fic but for now I'm stuck with a major case of writer's block. When I finally get my rear in gear and get some ideas I promise to update this fic! I hope you don't hate me.

I guess that's it for now. Sorry to disappoint.


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